In the view of Jukka Laaksonen, director-general of Finland's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), recent reports of shutdowns of Swedish commercial nuclear reactors because of security problems suggest that there has been a "deterioration of expertise", in nuclear power in that country.

Laaksonen says that he sector no longer attracts gifted young people, ever since Sweden decided to give up nuclear powers. Experts in the field, who are actually quite skilful, have been recruited from various countries such as Vietnam and the former Soviet Union.

Speaking at an event launching the latest safety study on Finnish nuclear power plants on Thursday, Laaksonen said that Swedish officials are also losing touch.

He noted that things are different in Finland: more nuclear energy is being built, and the field interests gifted young people. At Lappeenranta Technical University alone, 200 students are studying it.

He also feels that Finnish officials are very much in touch with the situation. STUK has kept a tight rein on the builders of the new reactor at Olkiluoto. "We have maintained German expertise by training 1,000 experts from that country in connection with the Olkiluoto 3 project", Laaksonen said. The facility is being built by a German-French joint venture.

Safety research is very extensive in Finland, even if the layperson might think that the nuclear sector has already been comprehensively researched. The first Finnish power plant, Loviisa I, was taken into use 30 years ago. Laaksonen says that continued research is necessary for the safe operation of nuclear power plants.

SAFIR, a four-year national research programme on nuclear energy, has just been completed at a cost of EUR 20 million, most of which was financed by mandatory contributions from the nuclear operators TVO and Fortum.

SAFIR studied security in six special areas. No significant problems were found, or at least none were reported in the presentation. However, the results gave plenty of additional information which will be needed in extending the lifetime of nuclear reactors.

STUK is currently studying an application for the extension of the lifetime of the two units at Loviisa to 50 years. The two existing reactors at Olkiluoto have been given operating licences for 40 years, and applications for extensions are expected.

There are also safety considerations in raising the output of the reactors. The output of both of the Loviisa units have been raised by nearly ten per cent. The reactors, originally built for an output of 660 megawatts, now generate 860 megawatts.

Safety technology at the Loviisa plant in particular is at a significantly higher level than in the early stage of its operations. The improvements are the result of action by the utility, and energy officials, and not the manufacturer, which no longer exists.

The Loviisa plant now has equipment to help it deal with serious accidents, such as a core meltdown. A project for upgrading the automation system is also beginning.

SAFIR is also studying the safety of nuclear power plants against a terrorist attack. In one test in a cellar at the Helsinki University of Technology in Espoo, a pressure gun was used to fire two water-filled 100-kilo shells at a concrete wall at about the speed at which a passenger plane flies.

The aim was to simulate events such as the 9/11 attacks in New York and make sure that the power plant can withstand the impact of a hijacked plane.

Laaksonen says that the results indicate that the walls of Olkilioto III, which is now being built, will be so thick that "nothing can get through". No equivalent reinforcements are planned for the old reactors.

Officials have sought to secure the nuclear power plants against terror attacks also by enlarging the no-fly zone around the power plants. Their radius was doubled last autumn to four and a half kilometres.

Security research linked with nuclear energy is to continue after the SAFIR project. In the next four-year period, another EUR 20 million is earmarked for the purpose. At the same time, about EUR one million is a year to be spent on the storage of nuclear waste.

SOURCE: HELSINGIN SANOMAT

DATE: Feb 13, 2007

Topics: History, Europe, Finland