EOn buying possible nuclear site in Finland
17 April 2007
German utility EOn is considering building a new nuclear plant in southern Finland and has agreed to buy land for a possible site.
The company has agreed to buy land in Loviisa for an undisclosed price with an option that could include building the plant. Loviisa, 55 miles east of Helsinki, is already home to two pressurized water reactors, owned by Finnish utility Fortum.
Land ownership is a precondition for securing Finnish approval for the project. EOn said it would examine the technological, economic and ecological requirements for building a reactor before seeking approval. The company's Finnish unit, EOn Suomi, has invited other interested Finnish companies to join the project.
Finnish prime minister Matti Vanhanen underlined that while power companies were free to submit applications, the government would consider issues including the competitive situation of utilities, the schedule of projects and the number of stations to be built when assessing those applications.
Finland currently has four operating nuclear units with a fifth under construction. Finnish utilities TVO and Fortum recently launched environmental impact assessment processes for the construction of a sixth plant.
Further information
EOn
WNA's Nuclear Energy in Finland information paper
WNN: Studies start for new nuclear in Finland