Finland

FINLAND

ANALYSIS / ISSUES

Imported energy accounts for 71% of the total energy consumed in Finland. Nuclear energy thus offers an inexpensive, reliable energy source in the Finnish open-energy market.

Like most countries, Finland is concerned with reducing the amount of carbon dioxide it releases into the atmosphere as a result of relying on fossil fuels for energy. As a result of the Kyoto Protocol and the EU's commitment to meeting the Protocol's measures through its "burden sharing" resolution, Finland must restore its emissions to the 1990 level. In order to meet this level of emissions, Finland must cut down on coal usage and increase its level of nuclear and natural gas energy. By 2001 carbon dioxide emissions, which account for 80% of the greenhouse gases released by Finland annually, had increased by about 10% since 1990. The government has found that in attempting to reduce Finnish emissions, the choice to increase nuclear power is the most cost-effective approach.

Finland has made great efforts to participate in the nuclear safety cooperation in Eastern Europe. The Government has funded many programs in support of international non-proliferation and nuclear arms reduction and control. One such program, co-coordinated by the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, targets establishing safeguards in Russia, Ukraine, and the Baltic states through building control systems and education programs to implement the systems. Power companies in Finland also aid EU programs aimed at improving nuclear plant safety in Central and Eastern Europe by helping to create regulatory organizations in the aided countries.

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

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