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Finnish deputies vote for renewing license for construction of Hanhikivi-1 NPP

Rosatom Overseas, a sister company of the Rosatom State Corporation for Atomic Energy, and Finnish Fennovoima are planning to commission the NPP in 2024

HELSINKI, December 5 /TASS/. Finnish deputies voted for renewing a license for the construction of the Hanhikivi-1 nuclear power plant in the country’s north by 115 votes vs. 74 at a plenary meeting on Friday.

Rosatom Overseas, a sister company of the Rosatom State Corporation for Atomic Energy, and Finnish Fennovoima are planning to commission the NPP in 2024.

Rosatom Overseas has welcomed the Finnish vote. The Finnish parliament also approved an addendum to the main license for the implementation of the nuclear power plant project.

“We intend to support the Fennovoima Company in the construction of the Hanhikivi-1 nuclear power plant according to the established schedule and in full compliance with the Finnish laws,” the Russian company’s spokesperson Roman Dyukarev told TASS.

According to him, Rosatom Overseas is at final staegs of talks with key subcontractors. The contracts are expected to be signed before the end of 2014.

Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs Jan Vapaavuori has described the Finnish parliament’s decision as a major step in a big process.

The Finnish government had set a condition that the Finnish share in the Hanhikivi-1 joint project should not be less than 60%. This week, the local company Fortum announced its intention to purchase up to 15% of the NPP’s shares. If that happens, the Finnish side may increase its share in the project to around 66%.

Rosatom Overseas is to deliver a 1,200-MW reactor for the Hahikivi-1 nuclear power plant. The construction is unlikely to start before 2015.