Jussi helske1 Workshop on the learning of EC approaches and experience in Licensing of New NPP’s Existing in European Union countries procedures of decision-making in construction of the new nuclear and thermal generating capacities.

Jussi helske2 Nuclear plants & Thermal plants Both variants are very much political but Nuclear due to its fears in society and thermal nowadays mainly due to climate change Different countries has different requirements but politicians often make additional confusion

Jussi helske3 Nuclear This presentation is mainly based on Finnish situation because generally in EC situation is very complicated like -In Sweden political decision not to construct more nuclear -In Germany political decision to close all nuclear units

Jussi helske4 NPP There must be high level authority or a company who has a strong will to study the possibility or construct a new NPP (10 years before start up of the unit) There must be one or more potential sites for the construction Environmental Impact Assessment is needed

Jussi helske5 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 85/337/ETY demands EIA for all major projects EIA include neither decisions nor permissions but produce information for decision makers EIA process is also for increasing public awareness about the project and it gives a possibility to tell even private opinions

Jussi helske6 EIA process Bodies which participate into EIA process are among others the following: responsible ministry, environmental ministry, the owner of NPP, mass media, follow up team, Safety Authority, local municipals, environmental organisations, local people, trade unions…. EIA process concerns selected site or all possible sites

Jussi helske7 EIA process cont. EIA process starts with making the program for EIA which is then evaluated by authorities and public. Finalized EIA program is then delivered to the responsible Ministry for statement When the program starts it will take about one year

Jussi helske8 EIA process cont. When the EIA is done it will be evaluated by “all bodies”, corrected and then delivered to the responsible Ministry and finally sent to public evaluation and then Responsible Ministry gives its Statement about the result During process there is a lot of cooperation between public, local and national authorities

Jussi helske9 Content of EIA (headlines) Project EIA procedure, communication and participation Technical specification of the project Licences, permits, plans and decisions required for the project Relations of the project to plans and programmes concerning natural resources and environmental protection Limits of the environmental impact assessment and evaluation methods Description of the present state of the environment

Jussi helske10 Content of EIA (headlines) Impact of the construction of a power plant unit Impacts of the operation of a power plant unit Effects of the power plant unit decommissioning The impacts of non-implementation of the project Nuclear safety Consequences of a severe accident Nuclear fuel chain from manufacture to final disposal Comparison of alternatives and significance of environmental impacts

Jussi helske11 Content of EIA (headlines) Prevention and mitigation of adverse impacts Environmental impact monitoring programme Feasibility of the project and its options Literature Appendixes

Jussi helske12 Decision in Principle (DIP) Utility/Owner has to make an application for Government for DIP, which includes among others power levels and plant types which are possible and the site. Government can make positive decision after getting Safety evaluation from Safety Authority and opinions of several official and unofficial bodies and if it thinks that the project is for overall good of society. High importance has the acceptance of local municipality because it has full veto- right and none can overrun it. After positive DIP parliament can accept or deny it but not alter

Jussi helske13 Purchase of NPP After positive DIP the Utility can ask offers evaluate offers and make a contract When the decision about the unit(s) is done it must be described in PSAR and delivered as an appendix of the application for Construction license, Construction cannot start before utility has got construction licence which needs among others positive safety evaluation from Regulatory Body Government has to grant the Construction Licence if NPP meets safety criterias

Jussi helske14 Construction Construction needs -Construction license (for layout and buildings) from local municipality -Some environmental permissions like permission for cooling water -Construction is done under the strict control of several authorities

Jussi helske15 Operation The Operating License allows loading the core, starting nuclear tests and operating the plant. The Council of State (government) grants it if all preconditions are fulfilled. However Safety Authority has full right and duty to control the progress and make decisions step by step for example: -start the fuel loading after successful inspections -accept the increase of the power level for each step of the test program -test-run at 100% power -commercial operation

Jussi helske16 More information Due to the fact that Finland has been very active, the development of legal and administrative documents has been strong. You can find more detailed information from Nuclear Act and Nuclear Degree of Finland. These and much more you can find from

Jussi helske17 Thermal plants (TPP) Construction permit formally much more simple and some countries like Finland don’t demand special PP licence Environmentally restrictions are valid for plants over 50MW Emission limits are dictated in LCP directive (CO2, NOx, SO2) “Normal” construction and environmental permissions

Jussi helske18 Thermal plants cont. Political interest is high due to greenhouse effect but attitude varies a lot between countries (new coal fired plants in Germany!)

Jussi helske19 Conclusion Today Nuclear power is well regulated but industry cannot be sure what will happen because of politics