Title: Nuclear installation licensing and democratic decision making in Finland: a case study regarding the Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power plant unit and the final disposal repository for spent nuclear fuel

Authors: Jyrki Javanainen

Addresses: Teollisuuden Voima Oy, Olkiluoto FI-27160, Finland

Abstract: The project regarding the construction of the fifth nuclear power plant unit in Finland (Olkiluoto 3) is in progress. The new nuclear power plant unit is to be in operation in 2009. Also an underground characterisation facility relating to the future final disposal repository for spent nuclear fuel is under construction. The construction and operation of nuclear installations in Finland are subject to a specific licensing procedure defined in the Finnish Nuclear Energy Act and Decree that entered into force in 1988. The purpose of this presentation is to briefly describe the Finnish nuclear installation licensing process, provide a general picture of the steps in the political decision making that have lead to the current situation allowing the construction of the new nuclear power plant unit, and point out some reasons that can be assumed to have influenced in favour of the construction of additional nuclear capacity.

Keywords: nuclear energy; nuclear installation licensing; final disposal repository; Teollisuuden Voima Oy; TVO; Posiva Oy; Olkiluoto 3; ONKALO; democratic decision making Finland; nuclear power plants; spent nuclear fuel; nuclear law.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNUCL.2006.009708

International Journal of Nuclear Law, 2006 Vol.1 No.1, pp.19 - 27

Published online: 06 May 2006 *

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