Nuclear power in Finland

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Olkiluoto

Loviisa

Nuclear power plants in Finland (view)

Active plants

As of 2008, Finland's nuclear power program has four nuclear reactors in two power plants. The first of these came into operation in 1977. In 2007 they provided 28.4% of Finland's electricity ^[1]. They are among the world's most efficient, with average capacity factors ^[2] of 94% in the 1990s ^[3]. A fifth nuclear reactor is under construction, scheduled to go online in 2011.

1 Current nuclear power plants
2 Regulation and safety
3 New reactor under construction
4 Possible future reactor construction
5 References and notes
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Current nuclear power plants

[edit] Loviisa plant

Main article: Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant

Located in Loviisa. Two VVER-440 pressurized water reactors built by Soviet Atomenergoeksport but fitted with Western instrumentation and control systems. Owned by Fortum. Started electricity production in 1977 and 1980 and now produce 488 MWe each. On 26 July 2007 new licenses were granted to Fortum to operate the units until 2027 and 2030 conditional on safety reviews before 2015 and 2023.[1]

[edit] Olkiluoto plant

Main article: Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant

Located in Eurajoki, near Rauma. Two boiling water reactors currently produce 1720 MWe. Built by Swedish Asea-Atom (nowadays Westinghouse Electric Company of the Toshiba corporation). Owned by Teollisuuden voima. Started electricity production in 1978 and 1980.

The third Olkiluoto reactor will be the new European Pressurized Reactor. Scheduled to go on line in 2011, it will have a power output of 1600 MWe.

Construction of Olkiluoto 3 started in August 2005. Two and a half years later the project is "over two years behind schedule and at least 50% over budget, the loss for the provider being estimated at €1.5 billion. It remains unclear who will cover the additional cost.^[4]

An 800 MWe undersea transmission line from near Olkiluoto to Sweden is scheduleded to be completed in 2010, allowing power export ^[5].

[edit] Otaniemi research reactor

There is a small research reactor located in Otaniemi, Espoo; a TRIGA Mark II, built in 1962. Owned by the Technical Research Centre of Finland, it has a power output of 250 kW (peak power 1000 kW) and is mainly used in brain tumor treatment and research.

[edit] Regulation and safety

Under the Nuclear Energy Act 1987 the Ministry of Trade and Industry (KTM) is responsible for supervision of nuclear power operation and for waste disposal. It is assisted by an Advisory Committee on Nuclear Energy in major matters and also an Advisory Committee on Radiation Protection.

Finland's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) is responsible for regulation and inspection. It operates under the Council of State (effectively the government), which licenses major nuclear facilities. STUK is under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and is assisted by an Advisory Committee on Nuclear Safety in major matters

^[6].

Nov 2004 opinion poll regarding nuclear power in Finland. Blue represents people in favor of nuclear power. Gray represents undecided. Yellow represents people opposed to nuclear power.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] New reactor under construction

A cabinet decision in 2002 to allow the construction of a fifth nuclear reactor was accepted in parliament. Economic, energy security and environmental grounds were given as reasons for the decision. While hydroelectricity is curtailed in dry years (range 9,455-14,865 GWh 1990-2006), nuclear energy supplies near-constant amounts of energy, and studies showed that nuclear energy was the cheapest option for Finland^{[citation needed]}. The Green League left the government in protest^{[citation needed]}. The vote was seen as very significant for nuclear energy policy in that it was the first decision to build a new nuclear power plant in Western Europe for more than a decade. Areva and Siemens are building the new reactor at the Olkiluoto plant.

[edit] Possible future reactor construction

Both Fortum and Teollisuuden Voima have stated that they are interested in building a sixth nuclear reactor ^[7]. The Finnish branch of German utility E.ON has said that it has agreed to buy land in southern Finland on which it hopes to build Finland's seventh nuclear reactor ^[8]. However, the town of Loviisa has declined their initial offer, as it lay too close to residential areas and the valuable Svartholm fortress ^[9]

One-third of Finns would approve the construction of a sixth nuclear reactor in Finland, according to a 2008 survey. Just over 50% of respondents said they would oppose the building of another reactor.^[10]