Helsinki, July 1 (DPA) Finland’s parliament Thursday gave the go ahead for two new nuclear reactors to be built by two local energy companies, TVO and Fennovoima.
The country already has four reactors, two on the island of Olkiluoto and two in the town of Loviisa, on the southern coast. A fifth is being built in Olkiluoto, which should be connected to the electricity grid by 2013. Rising costs meant it missed its original deadline of 2009.
In two separate votes for the sixth and seventh reactors Thursday, legislators voted 121 to 71 in favour of Fennovoima’s bid, and 120 to 72 in favour of TVO’s bid.
Several legislators wanted to approve the construction of just one reactor.
The parliament also voted 159 to 35 in favour of building a nuclear waste storage site in Eurajoki, in the west of the country.
Finland’s nuclear power plants currently supply around a quarter of the country’s energy. The two extra reactors should increase that to a half.
The construction proposals had been put forward by liberal prime minister Matti Vanhanen, who resigned last week.
The Greens, part of the ruling coalition, voted against the plans, but said they wanted to remain in the government, now led by Mari Kiviniemi.
