OREANDA-NEWS. On January 19, a special ceremony marked the beginning of works to dig a foundation pit at the construction site of the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant in Pyhäjoki, Finland.

The Russian party was represented by Kirill Komarov, First Deputy CEO for Corporate Development and International Business of ROSATOM; Nikita Konstantinov, CEO of JSC Rusatom Energy International; Anastasia Zoteeva, Deputy Director General for Business Development of JSC Rusatom Energy International; Vadim Ryabov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of RAOS Project Oy; and Grigory Naginsky, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OJSC TITAN-2. Finland was represented by Minna Forsström, Project Director at Fennovoima, and Matti Soronen, Mayor of the Municipality of Pyhäjoki.

The ceremony included detonation of the rock and placement of the memorial stone. After the ceremony at the construction site, the managers of participating companies visited the new Pyhäjoki office of RAOS Project Oy, the general contractor carrying out the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant project.

The visit was followed by a meeting at the office of the Mayor of the Municipality of Pyhäjoki where the guests met Finnish media. In his opening speech, Kirill Komarov pointed out that the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant would have a positive impact on the economy of the region in terms of tax revenues during both construction and operation and noted that, according to Rosatom’s estimates, every job at a nuclear plant generates 7 to 8 jobs in related areas. «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. This is that we are now actively working on in collaboration with our customer and partner Fennovoima», - Komarov stated. He also thanked the municipal managers, the local community, Finnish entrepreneurs, and the Finnish Government for their support to the project.

Minna Forsström highlighted that this ceremony was an important milestone of the project. ‘It is really satisfying to see that we are progressing on schedule’ she said.  

In December 2013, the Finnish company Fennovoima Oy and JSC Rusatom Energy International signed a contract for the construction of the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant. Rusatom Energy International specializes in management of Rosatom international projects for construction and operation of nuclear power plants, acting as project companies’ shareholder. In the spring of 2014, RAOS Voima Oy, a subsidiary of JSC Rusatom Energy International, and the Finnish company Voimaosakeyhtiö SF announced that they signed the sale and purchase agreement according to which a 34% share in Fennovoima Oy is owned by RAOS Voima Oy. In October 2014, JSC Atomproekt (Saint Petersburg) and JSC Rusatom Energy International signed the Agreement for development of a full set of design documentation for the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant. The nuclear power plant project fulfills the IAEA and EUR standards. It will also be adapted to comply with the Finnish national safety requirements. In June 2015, Fennovoima Oy submitted an application for the nuclear power plant construction license. The power unit at Hanhikivi 1 is expected to enter into commercial operation in 2024.