25 Feb (NucNet): Finland’s Fennovoima today said it had chosen Japan’s Toshiba to take part in “direct negotiations” to build the Hanhikivi-1 nuclear reactor, but left the door open to other bidders should it decide to build a smaller unit instead.
Fennovoima said it had chosen Toshiba as supplier if it goes ahead with original plans for a 1,600-megawatt reactor, dropping rival candidate Areva and its European Pressurised Water Reactor (EPR). Toshiba would build its Advanced Boiling Water Reactor, or ABWR.
Fennovoima also said it was considering building a medium-sized reactor instead and viewed Toshiba, Areva and Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom as possible suppliers.
The company started to look at other options after its biggest shareholder, German utility E.ON, last year decided to exit the project.
Fennovoima said in a statement that the reason for launching the assessment concerning mid-sized reactor options were changes in Fennovoima’s ownership structure. “The current owners’ need for Fennovoima’s electricity has not changed and the owners want to ensure the realisation of the project,” a statement said.
The statement said Fennovoima received bids in January 2012 for a nuclear power plant from Areva and Toshiba. Negotiations have been held throughout the year and final updates on the bids were received at the end of January 2013.
Fennovoima chief executive Juha Nurmi said the consortium aimed to make a decision this year, in line with a previous schedule.
Toshiba confirmed Fennovoima’s decision and said it could offer both a 1,300 MW and 1,600 MW version of its ABWR.
Fennovoima was established in 2007 and the Finnish parliament granted the company a decision-in-principle for construction of a nuclear plant in 2010. The electricity produced by the plant will be delivered at cost price to the company’s 70 shareholders.
Finland has four nuclear units in commercial operation and one, the EPR Olkiluoto-3, under construction. Olkiluoto-3 is scheduled to be connected to the grid in 2016.
Earlier this month Fennovoima applied for three environmental permits involving construction of structures in the Baltic Sea needed for Hanhikivi-1.
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