Groundbreaking ceremony held for Hanhikivi nuclear plant in Finland

Rosatom said this week that the foundation pit dig has begun for the future Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant in Pyhäjoki, Finland.

The ceremony celebrating the initiation of construction consisted of the detonation of the natural rock layer and the placement of a memorial stone.

“This year, we are to finalize the preparation of a full set of documents for the construction license issuance for the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant,” Kirill Kamarov, Rosatom first deputy CEO for corporate development and international business, said. This is that we are now actively working on in collaboration with our customer and partner Fennovoima.”

Also present at the ceremony were other officials from Rosatom and officials from Rusatom Energy International, RAOS Project Oy, the plant’s general contractor and Fennovoima.

Rusatom Energy International and Fennovoima reached an agreement in 2013 that would facilitate the construction of the future plant. Rusatom International manages international deals and projects for ROSATOM, which said the design documents for the plant will ensure it meets International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards. It is scheduled to begins operations in 2024.