Fennovoima buys land for planned nuclear plant
12 March 2008
Fennovoima announced on 11 March that it had agreed to acquire more than 200 hectares of land in the Karsikko and Laitakari areas in Simo, northern Finland. The consortium said that the land is sufficient for a potential nuclear power plant site and did not rule out the acquisition of additional land. In October 2007, Fennovoima bought some 600 hectares of land in Ruotsinpyhtää in southern Finland. The company is currently conducting environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for a potential nuclear power plant at four locations: Norrskogen and Kilgrundet in Kristinestad; Hanhikivi in Pyhäjoki; Kampuslandet and Gäddbergsö in Ruotsinpyhtää; and Karsikko and Laitakari in Simo. Fennovoima said that in Kristinestad and Pyhäjoki, land acquisitions and negotiations continue simultaneously with the EIA process. The plant alternatives under review involve the construction of either one unit with a production capacity of 1500-1800 MWe, or two units each with a capacity of 1000-1250 MWe. A pressurized water reactor (PWR) and a boiling water reactor (BWR) are both being considered.