Finnish industry planning for 2-3 more nukes
Even though the Olkiluoto plant in Finland has experienced the typical first of a kind project delays and budget expansions, Finnish industry is working on plans for an additional 2 or 3 new nuclear power plants. According to an article titled Two More Nuclear Units To Be Sought published by YLE.fi the main reason for the interest is a desire by industry to increase electrical supply so that prices decrease.
By EU standards, electricity is still inexpensive in Finland. Even so, the Finnish Technology Industries association, which accounts for about half of the nation’s exports, says that prices are still too high.
Its answer is the law of supply and demand: more power production will mean cheaper energy. And so, it wants to see at least two, preferably three new nuclear power units come online.
The new unit under construction at TVO’s Olkiluoto nuclear plant will generate 12.3 to 13 terawatt hours of electricity a year. Finnish Technology Industries Energy Director Martti Kätkä says that the nation needs at least two more with the same level of generating capacity.
Compare that thought to the commonly stated wisdom in the US that the way to avoid expensive electricity is conserve enough electricity so industry never has to build any new plants.