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Finance Minister: No disagreements on Hanhikivi 1 nuclear plant in Finnish parliament

“It will be necessary to take into account new circumstances, for example Rosatom State Corporation’s participation,” Urpilainen said

HELSINKI, October 26 (Itar-Tass) - The parliament’s decision on the Russian-Finnish Hanhikivi 1 nuclear project will be likely positive, Finance Minister Jutta Urpilainen said on Saturday.

The sooner the project will be submitted to the parliament, the sooner all problems will be solved. “It will be necessary to take into account new circumstances, for example Rosatom State Corporation’s participation,” Urpilainen said, adding, “I believe that deputies won’t come against the project.”

The construction of the nuclear power plant has been approved by the parliament, she said.

“This may step up the society’s support for building nuclear power plants,” the Finnish finance minister noted.

Russia’s Rusatom Overseas and Finland’s Fennovoima are planning to sign a contract to build the nuclear power plant by the yearend.

Fennovoima obtained a license to build the plant in the summer 2010. However, Russia was not mentioned as a supplier of reactors. Thus, new conclusions on sustainability and safety of nuclear power plants will be prepared within six months.

Rusatom Overseas will supply a reactor of 1200 MWt. The company can get 34 percent in Fennovoima’s charter capital. In October shareholders of the Finnish company are to decide if they approve the deal.

The construction will be started not earlier than in 2015. The plant is expected to be put into operation in 2024. Mass media reported that 6.5 billion euro should be paid to build the plant. Fennovoima will provide 1.6 billion euro and the rest of the sum will be paid by Rosatom.

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