Environmental impact assessment procedure for Loviisa nuclear power plant -EIA programme

On 13 August 2020, Fortum Power and Heat Ltd submitted an environmental impact assessment programme (EIA programme) under the Environmental Impact Assessment Act (252/2017) to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. The EIA programme is a plan concerning the investigations and arrangements required to assess the environmental impact of a project, prepared by the party responsible for the project. The programme includes information about the project and its alternatives and a description of the current state of the environment.

The objective of the programme is to assess the environmental impact of continuing, or alternatively closing, the operation of the Loviisa nuclear power plant. The operating licences of Loviisa 1 and Loviisa 2 units and the buildings and warehouses necessary for the management of nuclear fuel and nuclear waste will expire in 2027 and 2030.

The programme will assess the impact of continuing the operation of the Loviisa nuclear power plant by a maximum of 20 years as well as closing the nuclear power plant when the current operating licences expire. These alternatives affect the operating period of the final disposal facility for low-level and intermediate-level nuclear waste (operating waste) that is part of the nuclear power plant facilities.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment acts as the coordinating authority for the environmental impact assessment procedure (EIA procedure). The project is also subject to the transboundary environmental impact assessment specified in the Espoo Convention. 

The Ministry organized a public consultation concerning the EIA programme. Statements and opinions presented are published at the Finnish page. The Ministry gave its statement about the EIA programme in November 2020.

Further information: jaakko.louvanto(at)gov.fi and linda.kumpula(at)gov.fi