Suitable sites for a nuclear power plant
- The choice of the location of the station will be made by the Government of the Republic during the national special planning process, a choice that cannot be made by Fermi Energia as the developer.
- Fermi Energia on the basis of a preliminary study, the areas technically suitable for a small reactor are. Letipea peninsula (Lääne-Viru County) and the villages of Aidu and Aa near the former oil shale quarry of Aidu (Ida-Viru County).
- Both areas coincide with the national survey.
Fermi Energy preliminary study
Fermi Energia has thoroughly investigated the possible locations for a small modular reactor plant and, on the basis of a preliminary study, has mapped the most suitable sites in Estonia for a small reactor plant.
The most promising sites are located in the study:
- in the municipality of Viru-Nigula Letipea peninsula;
- in the municipality of Lüganuse Aidu and Aa region.
Source: aa preliminary study of the site (PDF, pp 4-7).
Preliminary national inquiry
The country carried out a study and selected 15 possible sites for the plant. Among these, two sites, namely Toila (including the Lüganus area) and Kunda, overlap with the sites selected by Fermi Energia.
The aim of the site analysis was to investigate whether there are sites in Estonia where a nuclear power plant and a spent fuel disposal site could be built. The analysis shows that the most positive socio-economic impact would be in declining and lower income areas away from the capital.
The report analyses in depth 11 areas: hydrography, topography, bathymetry, demography and settlement, anthropogenic hazards, geotechnics, geology, environmental hazards, heritage protection, environmental protection, infrastructure, land use, nuclear safety and plant requirements.
Source: rfinal report of the environmental assessment (PDF).
Site selection criteria
Not suitable for the construction of a nuclear power plant:
- flood risk areas;
- the coast;
- close proximity to big cities;
- nature reserves;
- places where the geology does not favour it.
A nuclear power plant needs:
- proximity to high-voltage lines;
- the availability of cooling water;
- an energy-savvy workforce.