Nuclear power and the environment

Nuclear power production complies with environmental permits

The operations of TVO’s nuclear power plant units complied with the company’s environmental policy, environmental permits and environmental management system, with the exception of a slight excess of a concentration limit at a waste water treatment plant. The company’s EMAS-registered environmental management system, which also covers the construction phase of OL3, meets the requirements of the international standard ISO 14001.

The greatest environmental impact by the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant resulted from the heat released into the sea via cooling waters, but any other environmental impact was negligible. As was the case in previous years, radioactive emissions into the air and water were minimal and considerably below the authorised limits. During the year, one significant environment-related deviation took place when some oil was spilled on the ground. Measures to offset the damage were started immediately, and the resulting impact remained low.