Finland announced on Thursday the extension to 70 years, or until 2050, of the life of its oldest nuclear power plant. The plant located near Loviisa, in the south-east of the country, is equipped with two VVER-440 reactors developed during the USSR era and commissioned in 1977 and 1980. In recent years, the operator of the site, the state-owned Fortum Group, had invested more than 300 million euros to support this expansion.
Suspicions dispelled about Finnish intentions
When the Social Democratic government led by Sanna Marin came to power in 2019, a contract was made between the parties that make up the same government such as the Greens so that the plant can still produce until 2050. The Local Ecologist Party differs from other European parties because it remains open to the civil use of the atom, even though it has a very good climate record.
With Olkiluoto: a complete portrait of the Finnish nuclear landscape
In addition to Loviisa and its two earlier reactors, Finland also has a power plant at Olkiluoto in the southwest comprising three reactors: two Western (890 megawatts each) and a French EPR (1,600 megawatts). This one should be normally operational in April 2021 after some minor technical delays.
