19 Aug (NucNet): The Finland Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (Stuk) sees no impediment in terms of safety to the extension of the application period for a licence to construct a fourth nuclear power unit at the Olkiluoto site, Stuk has said in a statement.
Stuk said that if an extension of the period submitting an application for the licence is granted, the additional time could be used beneficially to develop the safety aspects of the project and to carry out further investigations on the plant site.
According to the current decision-in-principle, an application for a licence to construct a fourth nuclear unit at the Olkiluoto nuclear station must be submitted by June 2015.
In May 2014, Teollisuuden Voima Oyi (TVO), the operator of Olkiluoto, requested a five-year extension for the application period from the Ministry of Employment and Economy.
Stuk also said an extension of the period would have no relevance from a safety perspective on the preliminary safety assessment on the repository for the final disposal of nuclear waste proposed by Posiva Oy.
Posiva plans to build a repository for the final disposal of nuclear waste adjacent to the Olkiluoto site, at a depth of about 400 to 450 metres.
The Olkiluoto nuclear station has two commercially operational BWR units and one pressurised water reactor of the EPR design under construction.
