Jun 4, 2007, 11:10 GMT
Helsinki - Finnish energy group Fortum said Monday it had started its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for a new nuclear reactor at Loviisa where two of the country's four reactors are currently operating.
Fortum said the assessment would highlight possible impacts on the environment, the health and safety of people as well as on the local community and economy.
'Special attention is focused on evaluating the environmental impact of the cooling water,' the group said.
The assessment was necessary before the group could consider a formal application to the ministry of trade and industry.
Loviisa is located some 90 kilometres east of the capital, Helsinki.
Power company Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) was also underway with a similar environment assessment at Olkiluoto, south-western Finland, where the country's two other reactors are operating.
Construction on a fifth reactor began at Olkiluoto in 2005 and TVO in March said it was interested in building a fourth reactor there.
France's Areva and Germany's Siemens are building the reactor under construction at Olkiluoto which is a European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR).
Options for the possible fourth reactor at Olkiluoto included either a pressurized water reactor or a boiling water reactor, the ministry said.
The ministry said the general public would be offered to study TVO's plans between June 12 and August 31 at the offices of several municipalities near the plant.
Hearings were also planned and the process was likely to take a year, the ministry said.
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