Yesterday, 12 June, the Riigikogu decided to support the introduction of nuclear energy in Estonia. The Riigikogu's decision is based on the work of the Government's Working Group on Nuclear Energy, which representatives of almost all ministries have been working on since November 2020, and on the final report of the Working Group published at the end of last year, according to which the introduction of nuclear energy and the construction of a small-reactor nuclear power plant in Estonia is possible. The Riigikogu's decision will allow the Government of the Republic to proceed with the development of the legal framework and the establishment of a national regulator. The decision also requires the energy sector development plan until 2035 to address the impacts of nuclear energy deployment.
For Fermi Energia, yesterday's decision of the Riigikogu also means that various preparatory works can continue. "As a next step, within four months Fermi Energia will submit an application for the initiation of a special national planning procedure (including an environmental impact assessment) for 2-3 locations, during which the most suitable location for two BWRX-300 small reactor plants will be formally selected," said Kalev Kallemets, Chairman of the Fermi Energia Board. "The national special planning process is likely to last until 2028, when construction of the same type of reactor in Darlington, Canada, and halfway through in Stawy Monowskie, Poland, should be completed or underway. On the basis of these projects and successful preliminary work, and a positive decision by the shareholders, we will also be able to apply for a construction permit in Estonia in 2029 at the earliest, which, with the support of the reference plants' permitting process and pre-construction experience, will allow construction to start in 2030 or 2031 and the first reactor to reach electricity production in 2035," Kallemets explained.
Fermi Energia is a nuclear energy company founded in 2019 by Estonian nuclear energy experts and entrepreneurs, which plans to build a small reactor power plant in Estonia to help meet the country's climate targets and ensure security of supply. Fermi Energia is a member of the European Commission's Small Modular Reactor Industry Alliance, established in February this year.