Madam, - In arguing that Ireland does not need nuclear power, Oisin Coghlan of Friends of the Earth uses Finnish experiences as "a cautionary tale" (Head 2 Head, June 25th).
I do not want in any way to interfere with the Irish debate on nuclear power, since Finland does not want to propagate its solutions to others and we insist ourselves that we make our own decisions on energy policy independently. However, I feel compelled to correct a number of mistakes or omissions which give a wrong picture of Finland's energy and climate policy.
Finland has 30 years' experience of nuclear power, with four plants currently in operation, producing about 25 per cent of the electricity consumed in Finland. Their safety record has been top class and legal and safety procedures are well established. The initiative and the responsibility for building nuclear power plants rests with individual companies, but the authorities - including the government and its nuclear safety agency, as well as the parliament - play a major role. They must consider whether the use of nuclear power is in line with the overall good of society.
In January 2002 the Finnish government decided in principle on a fifth nuclear plant and parliament ratified the decision on May 24th, 2002 (by a vote of 107 to 92). In 2003 the industry-owned Finnish nuclear operator Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO) chose the French-German consortium Areva NP and Siemens as the supplier for an EPR (European Pressurised Water Reactor). The Olkiluoto three-reactor thermal power plant will be 4,300 MW, with an electrical output of about 1,600 MW, and its technical operating lifetime is 60 years.
Building of the reactor started in August 2005. The government's decision in principle did not contain any binding timetable but construction will probably take more than five years. Before granting an operating licence to the plant, the Finnish authorities want to ensure that everything possible will be done to guarantee the safety of the new unit. Commercial concerns are secondary to safety.
The decision in principle ratified in 2002 supported the implementation of the national climate strategy adopted in 2001, major reasons here being the security of energy supply and our Kyoto commitments. In 2002 a separate political decision was made concerning the construction of a permanent repository of spent nuclear fuel. It has been estimated that, with its present four units together with Olkiluoto 3, Finland has avoided and will avoid greenhouse gas emissions to a remarkable degree. The nuclear plants will thus help Finland to meet the new EU obligations reducing emissions.
A new energy and climate strategy was finalised in 2006. No energy source has been excluded. The aim is to have and further develop a comprehensive choice of sources. In the programme of the new Finnish government, priorities in energy policy are renewable sources, together with energy-saving and other measures to combat climate change. Contrary to the claim by Mr Coghlan, the promotion of renewable energy has not "stalled" with the nuclear power plant project. The share of renewable energy sources in our primary energy consumption is particularly high at 25 per cent, the EU average being 6 to 7 per cent. We aim at developing further new technologies in this respect, particularly bio-energy. Just a few weeks ago the Finnish energy company Neste Oil began commercial operation of an advanced second-generation biodiesel plant in Porvoo.
Fossil fuels are being taxed and at the same time emission trading increases the relative costs of their use. In energy efficiency we are at an advanced European level: a number of instruments are being used including investment grants, education, building regulations, etc. Carbon emissions have risen lately due to strong economic growth. Investments in emission-free production, be they based on nuclear or renewable energy, influence emissions gradually.
According to the new energy and climate strategy, nuclear power is an option also in the future but the initiatives have to come from the industry. Various preliminary plans for further nuclear capacity have been presented but the debate is still at an early stage without any government involvement. - Yours, etc,
SEPPO KAUPPILA, Ambassador of Finland, Dublin.