Finnish nuclear developer Fennovoima has submitted an application to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy to amend the decision-in-principle it received in 2010 for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Pyhäjoki, northern Finland.
The supplemented decision-in-principle would confirm that Fennovoima’s nuclear power plant project remains ‘in line with the overall good of society’.
The process is needed due to changes in the reactor technology and Fennovoima’s ownership structure since the original application was submitted. It follows the submission of an environmental impact assessment report to MEE in mid February.
In 2008, Fennnovoima was considering one or two units of a 1600 MW Toshiba ABWR or 1700 MW AREVA EPR for the Hanhikivi nuclear power plant. Now, it is proposing to build a single unit Rosatom AES-2006 reactor with a capacity of 1100-1300 MW.
The ownership structure of Fennovoima also changed following the withdrawal of 34% shareholder E.ON in 2013. Currently 44 Finnish owners have committed to taking a majority 50.1% stake in Fennovoima, while Russian firm Rosatom has agreed to take a 34% stake in the company. Fennovoima said, on 28 February, that it aims for Finnish ownership to be ‘as close as possible to 66 per cent.’ The complete power plant investment is due to be confirmed at the Fennovoima general meeting in mid-March.
Russia signed power plant and nuclear fuel supply contracts with Fennovoima for the construction of an AES-2006 nuclear power plant, Hanhikivi-1, in December 2013. Electricity production from the unit is envisaged in 2024.
