In an interview of the Finnish daily newspaper Kaleva, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen says that not all applicants should be granted a licence for a new nuclear power plant. According to Mr Vanhanen, the decision on the licence issue is made on the basis of the genuine need for electricity production.

The Prime Minister thinks that the matter cannot be decided by markets alone. On Monday, Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen stated that he is ready to give a licence for all three applicants.

Vanhanen, in turn, argues that there are other types of ecological electricity production capacity being developed and this affects the question of how many nuclear power plants is needed. Mr Vanhanen says that the need for electricity must be defined and it must also be taken into account that the use of coal will be reduced and one must also be prepared for decreasing import of electricity. According to Mr Vanhanen, the target of the energy policy is that Finland reaches a genuine self-sufficiency in electricity production.

He points out that the path for nuclear power as an emission free energy source was laid already during last electoral period when the Parliament unanimously decided that all emission free energy sources are in an equal position when resolutions are made.