Finnish chief: Grant permits to all 'willing builders'

09 September 2008

[Virtual Finland, 8 September] The Finnish government should grant construction permits to all three contenders in the bid to build the country's sixth nuclear power reactor, according to Mikael Lilius, chief executive of Fortum. Fennovoima, Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) and Fortum have all announced plans to construct new plants, but the government has said that it will only issue a licence for one of them. Speaking to industry publication Energia, Lilius said: "I cannot understand why one should start regulating who can build and who cannot when we have three willing builders." He added, "It has long been said that the industry is underinvesting. Would it not be good if it invested more?"