Greenpeace aims to block new nuclear plant in northwest Finland
The environmentalist group Greenpeace says it will start a campaign against the Fennovoima-owned nuclear power plant planned for construction at Pyhäjoki on Finland’s northwest coast. The group is appealing to German shareholders to withdraw support for the project.
The Greenpeace effort is to be targeted at the Germany energy giant E.ON, that owns a good one-third of Fennovoima.
Jehki Härkönen, an energy affairs spokesperson for Greenpeace says a withdrawal of support by German owners would have a significant impact on the project.
“I believe that if E.ON withdraws, it would mean the loss of so much financial and know-how related capital that the project could not recover,” says Härkönen.
She also questions the motives of E.ON participation in the planned plant at Pyhäjoki in light of the recent decision in the company’s home country to give up the use of nuclear power.
“At the moment, E.ON is in a bad spot after Germany decided to give up nuclear energy, and this raises the question of why a German company still wants to build somewhere else.”
Greenpeace also plans to increase cooperation with a local movement that opposes the plant’s construction on environmental grounds.
