Finland’s Ministry of Employment and the Economy (MEE) said on 8 December that a climate-neutral future requires appropriate and up-to-date legislation and it is, therefore, “launching legislative preparations aimed at a comprehensive reform of the Nuclear Energy Act”. This aims to ensure that the production of nuclear energy “will continue to be in the general interest of society, safe and economically viable”.

MEE noted that nuclear energy is subject to strong and detailed regulation, as the use of nuclear materials is a potentially hazardous activity. Issues covered by the legislation will continue to include nuclear and radiation safety, security arrangements, safeguards and nuclear liability. “The foundations of the licensing system for nuclear installations have lasted well over time and have provided extensive protection for the assessment of the overall benefit to society at the various stages of a nuclear installation project. The licensing system still needs to be reformed in the light of experience and foreseeable developments.”

The operating environment of nuclear facilities is also changing. “The regulatory framework for nuclear power generation needs to be reformed in the light of these developments. New players, operating models and technologies are emerging in the industry, such as small modular reactors (SMRs). A carbon-neutral energy system requires zero-emission production of electricity and heat, where increasing the use of nuclear energy is one of the...

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