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 Finnish 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, TVO was finally selected by Finnish government and parliament as a new nuclear power plant constructor and is currently preparing to issue a bidding guideline. It is expected that the bidding will only consider 4 to 5 reactor types including APR 1400 that passed the preliminary safety assessment by STUK, the Finnish regulatory institution.
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