Parts outlines nuclear deadline

  • 2007-09-03
  • From wire reports
TALLINN - Estonian Economic Affairs Minister Juhan Parts has told the Postimees newspaper that the country's role in a new Finnish nuclear power plant needs to be sorted out within the year, as the Finnish parliament is due to debate the issue during 2009.

"We are very much interested in achieving Finland's political support for Estonian companies' involvement, as well as the support of companies that have invested in Finnish nuclear power plants already," Parts said.

He suggested the Eesti Energia (Estonian Energy) power utility could take part in the construction of the new nuclear facility.

"The decisive word in the issue belongs to Finland… According to the present plans endorsement of the next reactor should come up in the Finnish parliament in mid-2009. We must have [reached] agreement by that time, and we must also have an economic feasibility analysis," the minister said.

Parts said that Pohjalan Voima, the key partner in Finland, is very much interested in Estonia's participation. "Pohjalan Voima is a partner in the Estlink cable and together we are making preparations for Estlink 2," he added.

The Finnish government is currently scouting likely sites for the project across the country. Estonia is also involved with the proposed construction of a new nuclear facility in Lithuania.