Finland Times

 

Fennovoima headquarter in Helsinki. Photo – Lehtikuva

Fennovoima delivered its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report concerning its project for a nuclear power plant to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy (MEE) on Thursday, said a government press release.

 

The EIA was for the planned 1200 megawatt pressurised water reactor to be constructed at Pyhäjoki. The supplier of the reactor would be a company of the Russian Rosatom Group.

 

"The Fennovoima EIA report arrived at the Ministry in the expected time. The EIA process will now continue. The Ministry will hold a consultation round with interested parties as well as a public hearing on the matter," said the Economic Affairs Minister Jan Vapaavuori.

 

Last summer, the MEE required that the Fennovoima project's environmental impact assessment be updated and its safety be evaluated. In addition, the municipality of Pyhäjoki will take a stand on the project in the spring.

 

"Based on these reports, a legal position will be taken on whether or not the existing Decision-in-Principle also covers the Rosatom option, or if the Decision-in-Principle made by the Parliament in 2010 should be reconsidered. The assessments are proceeding as planned and in good co-operation with the authorities and Fennovoima," says Vapaavuori.

 

File Photo of Pyhäjoki sign. Photo – Str - Lehtikuva

The Ministry of Employment and the Economy, which is EIA contact authority in the matter, is soliciting opinions to the report from a number of ministries as well as certain other authorities and organisations. The Ministry will give further details of the public hearing in newspapers and on official notice boards of Pyhäjoki and its neighbouring municipalities. Citizens will also have an opportunity to participate in the public hearing by giving their own statements and voicing opinions on the project.

 

A similar consultation and hearing procedure was organised in the previous phase of the EIA process in the autumn of 2013 concerning the Environmental Impact Assessment programme of the project. The Ministry is preparing a concluding statement for the EIA procedure on the basis of the EIA report and the statements given in the consultation.