Two Finnish groups today welcomed government approval to build two new nuclear reactors in the Nordic country, according to dpa. The Finnish government announced its choice of power company Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) and the Fennovoima consortium after an evening session. The parliament has yet to approve the decision. The Greens - one of four parties in Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's coalition - opposed building more reactors, as did environmental groups. Finland at present operates four reactors and is building a fifth reactor in Olkiluoto, south-western Finland. That project is behind schedule. "We are ready to proceed immediately after a favourable decision is made in parliament," TVO chief executive Jarmo Tanhua said. TVO operates two reactors in Olkiluoto, and said it would opt to build its new reactor there. Fennovoima said it is looking at two locations in northern Finland, and would decide on the site next year. State-owned utility Fortum failed to win approval for its plan to build a reactor near the city of Loviisa, some 90 kilometres east of Helsinki where it operates two reactors.
