Greens Oppose Producing Nuclear Electricity for Export
Green League Chairwoman Anni Sinnemäki
Image: YLE
Green League Chairwoman, Minister of Employment Anni Sinnemäki has criticized the party’s government partner, the conservative National Coalition Party, for its efforts to make Finland a country that exports electricity generated by nuclear power. She says that such moves represent “Russian economic thinking”.
Speaking at a meeting of her party’s executive on Saturday, Sinnemäki said that well-being, work, and competitiveness in Finland must not be based on waste – not even the waste of electricity.
National Coalition Party leader, Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen, recently denounced the Greens’ energy policy thinking as being a threat to the welfare society, saying that the Greens are doing all that they can to make sure that energy in Finland is "expensive and hard to get".
"Finland Needs to Focus on Energy Efficiency"
Sinnemäki said on Saturday that the days of cheap electricity will be over when the European electricity market becomes integrated, and differences in the price of electricity balance out. She added that those Finnish companies which invest in energy efficiency will be the most successful.
As Sinnemäki sees it, calls for the construction of three new commercial nuclear reactors would make Finland an exporter of nuclear electricity.
No resignation from Government over Nuclear Issue
Instead of nuclear power, Sinnemäki says that Finland should focus on energy efficiency.
Finland currently has four commercial nuclear reactors in operation, and a fifth one is being built. Three companies have applied for licenses to build new reactors. The Centre Party wants to grant permission for one new reactor, while the National Coalition Party wants to give the go-ahead for all three.
The Greens oppose any new construction of nuclear energy, but say that they will not leave the government over the issue.
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