Finland Times

 

VTT Technical Research Centre logo Otaniemi in Espoo, Finland. Photo Lehtikuva.

The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland on Friday delivered an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy (MEE) on the decommissioning of a research reactor located in Otaniemi in Espoo, said a press release of the employment and the economy ministry. 

 

The reactor has been in operation for more than 50 years, since 1962. It has been used in research, teaching, radiotherapy and the production of isotopes.

 

In accordance with the Act on Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure, the EIA report puts forward information on the project and its alternatives and presents a unified evaluation of their environmental impact.

 

The MEE serves as the contact authority for the assessment. The ministry will solicit statements on the EIA report, and this will conclude on December 31.

 

The VTT project examines the decommissioning of the research reactor. Options for implementation are the immediate dismantling or delayed dismantling of the reactor.

 

In addition the project will examine the environmental impact of the transport and interim storage of spent nuclear fuel and waste generated by the dismantling work and, when applicable, its final storage. The start of the dismantling work of the reactor is planned for 2017.

 

The EIA report will be on display from November 5 until December 31 on the notice boards of the cities of Espoo, Helsinki, Vantaa and Kauniainen.

 

The report and the statements and opinions that will eventually be given on it, as well as the statement given by the contact authority, are available on the web pages of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy at: http://www.tem.fi/energia/ydinenergia/tutkimusreaktori_kaytostapoiston_yva

 

Written opinions or statements on the EIA report may be sent to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy no later than December 31, 2014 by 16:15.

 

The MEE and VTT will organise a public event on the EIA report in Otaniemi in Espoo on November 18.