The Coal Organ
The Coal Organ is a sonic journey through the last (and now defunct) coal fired power station in Finland, the Salmisaari power plant.
The facility - a mostly hidden organism beneath the city of Helsinki - used to provide heating and electricity to all of Finland since 1984, but it was permanently closed down in April 2025 to make way for renewable energy generation. Jaakko was granted access to the facility during its final operating weeks to record the sounds of its massive machinery, including coal pulverizers, turbines and ambiences of its underground coal silos and tunnels that reach the depth of 120+ meters below sea level, the deepest point of the city. The work captures a significant turning point in energy transition - “the death rattle of coal burning”.
Supported by: Finnish Cultural Foundation, the North Savo Regional Fund
Photos: Juuso Martikainen