nuclear-news

There has been another twist in the controversy surrounding the Fennovoima nuclear project this weekend, as the minister in charge of the permits was accused of a conflict of interest. His ministry denies that claim but Green politicians are still demanding an investigation. Is Rosatom just an energy company or is it part of the Russian state? It’s an issue Finns have been wrestling with ever since the state-owned firm took the largest stake in the Fennovoima nuclear project.

The company’s dual role led to the Green League’s departure from government amid talk of ‘Finlandisation’–the cold war process by which Finland stayed close to the Soviet Union.

This weekend the saga took a new twist when it emerged that Rosatom had signed a nuclear co-operation deal on behalf of the Russian government. Minister for the Economy Jan Vapaavuori was the Finnish signatory–and he was also in charge of handling the permit process for the Fennovoima project.

All sides agree there is nothing strange about the co-operation deal itself–the issue is that Rosatom was the official counterparty rather than the government itself. Green League chair Ville Niinistö told Yle on Saturday that this raises questions about the Fennovoima permit.

“That Rosatom is a Russian state-owned company, close to the Russian leadership, is now clear to everyone,” said Niinistö. “Rosatom’s dual role in this raises a lot of questions, including about why we’re increasing our energy dependency on Russia.”

He wants Vapaavuori to explain the process, and give details on whether the Chancellor of Justice cleared his continued participation after he’d signed the co-operation agreement.

Helsingin Sanomat went one step further on Saturday in a story that examined the arrangements. Two professors interviewed by the paper say there could have been a conflict of interest.

The minister has denied that, but according to a ministry press release his actions in signing the first contract do not make him biased. The ministry also says Finland has no influence on who signs the contract for Russia.