Dam safety at the Kelukoski power plant is enhanced as we construct a new dam gate under challenging conditions

The dam safety of the Kelukoski power plant will be improved by constructing a new floodgate next to the existing floodgate in the plant’s earthen dam. The project is being carried out in Sodankylä on the Kitinen River, a tributary of the Kemijoki, in an environment where Kreate’s strong expertise in civil and hydraulic engineering, as well as in bridges and waterways, plays a key role, and where the management of work phases requires the utmost precision.

At the site, we are constructing both permanent and temporary drilled pile walls to control water flow and support the earth retaining structures during construction. In addition, we construct temporary dams that allow for the construction of a new dam gate using dry construction methods in challenging conditions. On this project, we are collaborating with our joint venture, KFS Finland, leveraging our solid expertise in specialized foundation construction.

Construction will take place alongside flowing water near an operational power plant, which imposes specific requirements on the design of foundation structures, temporary solutions during construction, and workplace safety. Preparatory work will begin in the spring of 2026, and the actual construction will take place between 2026 and 2027.

The Kelukoski project represents a technically rare type of dam construction and continues our strong track record in demanding hydraulic engineering and foundation engineering projects. Kreate has previously completed projects such as the Kimola canal in Kouvola, which involved complex hydraulic structures and extremely tight dimensional tolerances. In addition, KFS Finland has experience with technically challenging dam projects, such as the bored pile wall solution implemented for the earthen dam at the Melo power plant in Nokia.

Learn more on our website about the challenging dam safety project at the Kelukoski power plant.

Photo: Kemijoki Oy