Finland Times

 

Photo Lehtikuva.

The Ministry of Employment and the Economy has asked the Fennovoima for more clarifications by June 30 regarding the environmental impacts of its planned nuclear power plant in Pyhäjoki.

 

The ministry in its assessment report on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure has sought additional clarifications and details from the company on questions like the impacts of warm coolant water on nearby waters, vegetation, plankton, and fishing, according to an official press release.

 

The EIA report submitted by the company on February 13 covers the legislative requirements of content and has been handled in the manner required by the regulations.

 

The additional information needs to be delivered to the ministry in such a way that it can be considered in the application for a construction licence.

 

In the additional clarifications and detailed information the company must also answer questions put forward in an international hearing on assessments of radiation accidents and nuclear safety by October 31.

 

The ministry received about 30 statements about the EIA report from different officials, associations, and other organisations.  

 

Statements for the international hearing, in accordance with the Espoo Convention, were received from Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Germany, and Austria. About 80 written opinions were received from various organisations and private persons. 

 

The EIA procedure of the Fennovoima project began on September 17, 2013 when the company delivered the project’s EIA programme to the ministry.

 

According to the press release, the ministry is prepared to place Fennovoima’s supplementary application before the government in August.

 

The Fennovoima on March 4 submitted to the ministry the application addressed to the government for a supplement to the Decision-In-Principle on areas in which the project had changed since the Decision-in-Principle taken in 2010.

 

The most significant alteration was the change in the planned reactor unit.