City of Rauma Preparing a Statement on the EIA Procedure for a Hydrogen and Synthetic Methane Production Plant
News
The City of Rauma is preparing a statement on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure for a hydrogen and synthetic methane production plant planned by Luoto Energia Oy and Port of Rauma Ltd. The matter will be discussed on the agenda of the City Board meeting on 18 May 2026.
The City’s statement will be presented to the City Board on Monday, 18 May 2026, and the final statement will be submitted to the Finnish Supervisory Agency by 22 May 2026.
Planned Project in Iso Järviluoto
The project is planned to be located in Iso Järviluoto, in the expansion area of the Port of Rauma, which is zoned for industrial and port use. The planned power‑to‑gas plant would produce synthetic methane from hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The project includes hydrogen production by electrolysis as well as methanation, liquefaction, storage and distribution operations.
The project also includes a new harbour quay, a carbon dioxide transfer pipeline, and a 400‑kilovolt transmission line from Fingrid’s Rauma substation to Iso Järviluoto. Two alternative routes are being examined for the transmission line.
The plant’s planned production capacity is up to 163,000 tonnes of synthetic methane per year, and hydrogen production approximately 85,000 tonnes per year. The maximum capacity of the electrolyser is 600 megawatts, and electricity consumption could be up to approximately 5,160 gigawatt hours per year. The electricity is intended to be sourced from renewable energy.
Key Focus Areas of the City’s Statement
– In the statement under preparation, the City of Rauma will assess the project particularly from the perspectives of land use and environmental protection, says City Mayor Esko Poikela.
From a land‑use perspective, the project is located in an area zoned for industrial and port use under the current local detailed plan. From an environmental protection perspective, the statement will emphasise the importance of assessing the project’s most significant environmental impacts in sufficient detail in the environmental impact assessment report.
Key themes in the assessment include the impacts of the transmission line routes on land use and community structure, impacts on the marine area, the project’s cumulative effects in combination with other projects in the area, and measures to mitigate impacts.
EIA Procedure and Participation
The environmental impact assessment procedure is based on legislation and is guided and supervised by the Finnish Supervisory Agency. The ongoing EIA procedure examines the project’s impacts on, among other things, the environment and people’s living conditions.
The City of Rauma is participating in the EIA procedure led by the Finnish Supervisory Agency as a member of the monitoring group in an official capacity and as a land‑use expert. The City has provided information for the assessment, including data on the area’s zoning situation and community structure. The results of the EIA procedure and the various project alternatives can only be fully assessed once the studies and modelling have been completed.
All parties who may be affected by the project may participate in the EIA procedure. Opinions and statements on the EIA procedure must be submitted in writing to the Finnish Supervisory Agency between 23 April and 22 May 2026.
– The project is linked to Satakunta’s and the Rauma region’s long‑term work to promote the green transition, the hydrogen economy and low‑carbon industry. In preparing the City’s statement, it is essential that the project’s environmental impacts are identified and assessed carefully and in accordance with the requirements of the legislation, Poikela explains.
