In Finland, the private TVO and the state-run Fortum are each running two units (860MWe Olkiluoto BWR Units 1 and 2 and 440 MWe Lovisa VVER Units 1 and 2) and TVO is also constructing EPR1600 in the Olkiluoto site.
Aiming to complete it by 2019, TVO is pushing ahead with the construction of Olkiluoto Unit 4, and its management, including the chairman of its board, visited Korea in December 2007 and toured the construction site of the Shin-Kori nuclear power plant and the Doosan plant in Changwon, and attended a presentation on the new Korean standard APR 1400 model. The tour provided an opportunity for TVO to confirm the technical ability of Korea, and on the spot, TVO suggested that joint research be conducted to determine the feasibility of constructing APR1400 in Finland.
In April 2008, KHNP submitted the technical data for APR1400 to Finland in order to apply for a DIP (Decision In Principle), which is the first stage of the permit process for the construction of Olkiluoto Unit 4, and in June, August, and October, 2008, it held technical meetings with TVO and STUK, the Finish regulatory institution. As a result, in May 2009, KHNP passed the preliminary safety assessment for each reactor type led by the Finnish regulatory institution, and in May and November of the same year, it discussed issues regarding the project execution method and the operation and maintenance of the plant in detail with TVO.
In 2010, KHNP is planning to establish optimal project plans in terms of the costs and construction period of the project in preparation for the selection of the final reactor type candidates due in the second half of the year, and will also establish plans for the receipt of the order, including market research and the formation of the bidding team, in preparation for the bidding in 2011.
In the meantime, Fortum, which is pushing ahead with the construction of Lovisa Unit 3 (scheduled for completion in 2020), visited KHNP in September 2008 and witnessed KHNP’s excellent performance in the construction and operation of nuclear power plants, as well as its superior nuclear power plant technologies. Following the visit, Fortum launched a joint research project in November 2008 to determine the feasibility of the construction of APR1400. In October 2009, Fortum also selected APR1400 as the preliminary reactor type for the construction of the new nuclear power plant (Lovisa Unit 3), and is planning to establish and execute detailed plans for the final receipt of the order for Lovisa Unit 3, depending on the later schedule of the project.
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