MTV3.fi reports that according to Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of Economic Affairs, more nuclear power must be constructed in order to replace current coal power electricity production.

Mr Pekkarinen states that if Finland wants to stop its relatively large coal power production fast, the new capacity that is now to be expected is not sufficient enough to replace the coal power. Mr Pekkarinen thinks that stopping coal power production by the year 2020 is so important that this target alone creates the need for new nuclear power.

The Minister says that constructing more nuclear power cannot be avoided even if production of electricity based on renewable sources is increased. This is because electricity production must be increased so that it can compensate the decrease in energy imports and use of coal as well as to respond to the increasing electricity consumption

According to Mr Pekkarinen, the renewable energy produced by forest industry will decrease so much that without new measures Finland is not going to reach the EU target of 38 per cent share of renewable production by the year 2020. The minister says it looks like the target will be missed by four per cent, which equals some 13 TWh – as much as the Olkiluoto 3 will produce yearly when the plant is in operation.