Fermi Energia files request to initiate nuclear power plant location studies

Fermi Energia files request to initiate nuclear power plant location studies. Photo: Konstantin Sednev

The private company Fermi Energia on Tuesday submitted an application to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications to initiate a national designated spatial plan for a nuclear power plant with an electrical capacity of 600 megawatts.

«A national designated spatial plan is necessary to find the best location for the planned nuclear power plant, which would also satisfy local communities and municipalities,» Fermi Energia CEO Kalev Kallemets said in a press release. «Initiating the plan does not mean that the construction of the nuclear power plant has been conclusively decided, but rather creating a real precondition for making a future decision on its construction. The recent weeks and the increase in electricity consumption prove that Estonia needs managed and reliable energy capacity to protect the stability of the energy system and lower electricity prices for consumers for decades.»

As part of the preparations for filing the application for the national designated spatial plan, Fermi Energia has conducted over 50 information sessions in West-Viru and East-Viru counties over six years to engage local residents, with more than 500 people participating. The information sessions have taken place in Aa, Aseri, Kiviõli, Kohtla-Järve, Kohtla-Nõmme, Kunda, Lüganuse, Mahu, Maidla, Moldova, Oandu, Püssi, Rääsa, Savala, Soonurme, and Viru-Nigula.

The councils of the municipalities of Viru-Nigula and Lüganuse have adopted decisions on participation in the designated spatial planning process, on Sept. 28, 2023 and March 28, 2024, respectively.

The aim of the national designated spatial planning procedure is to find the best possible location for the plant, which meets the requirements in terms of safety, environmental impact and technical feasibility. Several important planning stages must be completed before the plant can be built.

In the first phase of the pre-selection process, which is expected to last from 2025 to 2027, studies and consultations will be carried out to assess the possible sites. Based on preliminary studies carried out by Fermi Energia, the potential sites are located in low population density areas in the municipality of Viru-Nigula, near Kunda, in West-Viru County and in the village of Aa, in the municipality of Lüganuse, in East-Viru County. Interference with nature conservation areas and sites will also be avoided.

In the second phase, between 2027 and 2029, more detailed studies will be carried out at the selected site to ascertain compatibility between the selected site and the exact site-specific parameters of the nuclear power plant.

Once the spatial planning process is completed and the Riigikogu has adopted the nuclear energy regulatory law, the plan is to submit an application for a construction permit to the competent regulator in 2029, with a view to starting construction of the plant in 2031 if a clearance is received. This will allow the first reactor to become operational by the second half of 2035.

The application is the result of six years of detailed planning and analysis. In cooperation with 32 partners, 71 studies have been carried out at a total cost of 1.4 million euros, the company said.

Fermi Energia plans to build a power plant made up of two GE Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactors, which would cover the minimum summer base load of Estonia's current energy consumption. Nuclear energy is not a substitute for, but backs up renewable energy at times when wind and solar production is low. However, nuclear energy would partially replace the oil shale energy that will exit the energy system in the future, which currently ensures the security of supply and energy security when a sufficient amount of favorably priced energy from other sources is not available to the grid, the company added.