Fennovoima's EIA programme 2016

Fennovoima Oy submitted in June 2016 an EIA programme on Fennovoima’s own spent nuclear fuel disposal facility to the contracting authority, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) programme is a plan for the necessary studies and arrangements for the assessment procedure. The programme is prepared by the organisation responsible for the project. The EIA programme also includes a description of the present state of the environment in the area likely to be affected.

The assessment procedure included hearings (12 September– 9 November) on the EIA programme, during which the ministry requested statements and provided opportunities for opinions to be expressed. Statements and opinions can be found on the Finnish pages.

The project is also subject to the transboundary environmental impact assessment specified in the Espoo Convention. The organisation of the international hearings is the responsibility of the Ministry of the Environment. After the hearings concerning the EIA programme the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment as the coordinating authority gave its own statement in December 2016, which closed this phase of the EIA programme.

The process can still takes years before its ends with the Report phase.