Technology industry wants two more nuclear reactors

"Electricity shortage could imperil jobs"

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Ole Johansson, chairman of the Federation of Finnish Technology Industries, fears that the long-term climate strategy which is under preparation at the Ministry of Employment and the Economy could, in the worst of cases, deprive Finland of many companies and thousands of jobs.
      Johansson says that this is a real danger if no new nuclear power plants are built in Finland.
      The government is to present its climate and energy strategy to Parliament in the early autumn. The Ministry of Employment and the Economy has not yet published an energy consumption estimate that forms the basis of the upcoming strategy.
      Johansson says that representatives of the ministry have nevertheless put forward calculations at various seminars, according to which consumption of electricity in 2020 will be about 8 terawatt hours lower than in previous estimates put out by business interests.
     
"It is an impossible idea. I cannot see how a responsible technology industry could endorse a policy that would lead to a situation in which there are no investments in the country, and that the industry would not be able to develop", Johansson said on Wednesday.
      The technology industry is Finland's most important sector of business, and employs 273,000 people.
      The energy industry says that electricity consumption in Finland is growing from the present 90.3 terawatt hours to 107 by 2020. The annual output of the new nuclear reactor being built in Olkiluoto is 13 TW-h, which is not enough to cover the projected growth.
      Johansson is convinced that in addition to the reactor now being built, Finland needs at least two other installations of the same size by 2020. He dismisses the ministry's scenario as being based on wishful thinking.
      "Energy is mainly an imported raw material for industry. It comes here to be refined, through technological know-how, into products for export. The question is, if this country will engage in this kind of refinement and the resulting industrial activity in the future", Johansson argues.
     
One of the arguments against more nuclear energy is that it would serve as an incentive for more energy consumption.
      Johansson counters, saying that industry cannot afford to waste energy, because Finnish industry is so dependent on the world market, where competition is tough.
      Johansson notes that even though overall consumption of energy may turn downward some day, the need for electricity will increase for a number of reasons, including the fact that electricity will be used to replace fuel.
      Juha Turkki, a high-ranking official at the ministry of Employment and the Economy confirms that the ministry does not yet plan to publish its energy scenarios, because they are still being worked on.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finns reject criticism from French contractor on nuclear plant construction delays (28.2.2008)
  Further nuclear reactor construction delays could lead to electricity shortage (13.8.2007)
  Call for radical electricity market overhaul and sixth nuclear reactor (4.10.2006)

Links:
  The Federation of Finnish Technology Industries

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