Finnish Parliament Approves Construction Of Two New Units
Written by NucNet
Thursday, 01 July 2010
Finland’s parliament today approved two decisions-in-principle for the construction of an additional two nuclear power plant units – which will take the total number in the country to seven.
Parliament voted 120-72 in favour of proposals by Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) to build Olkiluoto-4. Proposals by Finland’s Fennovoima Oy to build a new unit in the municipalities of Simo or Pyhäjoki were approved by 121-71 votes. Both companies have yet to specify which reactor design will be implemented.
Finland’s government approved the decisions-in-principle earlier this year and today’s decision means both companies can continue construction preparations. Both decisions-in-principle remain in force for five years from today and will only lapse if, within that period, the company in question does not submit an application for a construction licence under the country’s Nuclear Energy Act.
Before submitting a construction licence application, Fennovoima must choose one of the two sites it has proposed for construction. However, the municipalities of both Simo and Pyhäjoki have said they are willing to host the new plant.
Fennovoima will also be required to “elaborate in greater detail” its plans for nuclear waste management, Finland’s Ministry of Employment and the Economy (MEE) said today. Within six years, Fennovoima must present the ministry with an agreement on a nuclear waste disposal partnership with TVO and Fortum, or its own environmental assessment programme on a final repository.
MEE said depending on when the construction licence applications are submitted, the government expects to be able to consider them by 2014 at the earliest. If the applications are approved, operating licences will be issued at the end of the units’ estimated four-year construction phase. “At the earliest, the new plants will be ready for commissioning at the turn of the decade,” MEE said.
In a separate decision-in-principle, the parliament today voted 159-35 in favour of Posiva Oy’s plan to build an extended final disposal repository for spent nuclear fuel in the municipality of Eurajoki. Posiva is responsible for research connected with final disposal in Finland and for the implementation of the project. This extension will ensure the management of spent nuclear fuel arising from the Olkiluoto-4 project.
Finland has four nuclear units in commercial operation and one, Olkiluoto-3, under construction. OL-3, a 1,600-megawatt European pressurised water reactor unit, is scheduled to start commercial operation in 2013.
TVO president and chief executive officer Jarmo Tanhua said today’s vote was “an important milestone towards the EU vision of CO2 neutral energy production”. He added: “Placing greater emphasis on nuclear power and renewable energy sources will help us achieve significant cuts in emissions in electricity production.”
