He rejected the notion that they should all be approved and then let the market decide which of them should be built and when - as Finance Minister Jyrki Katainen of the conservative National Coalition Party has suggested.

The PM says that the decision must be made based on laws governing nuclear energy.

In an interview with two newspapers published in Savo on Sunday, Vanhanen added that the fact that the decision on the package on subsidies for renewable energy comes at the same time as the nuclear decision is a coincidence.

He notes that all EU countries are obliged to say by June how the Union's directive on renewable energy will be carried out at the national level.

His Centre Party colleague, Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen -- who is expected to ultimately decide on the nuclear applications -- has said that the content of the renewables package must be clear before the reactor decision is made. He has clearly linked the two, saying the need for further nuclear capacity depends on how much renewable energy capacity can be created in the next few years.

Vanhanen says that the reference period for the permits now being considered is 10 to 15 years, and that this would not be enough time to build three new reactors.

On Sunday evening Pekkarinen confirmed to YLE that he would not approve all three applications under any circumstances. He predicted that after the extensive renewables package is agreed, it should be clear that there will be no need for three new reactors.

The cabinet is expected to consider the reactor applications within the next week. Its decision must be ratified by Parliament.

Three utilities or consortiums have applied for permits to build more nuclear capacity. Finland now has four working nuclear reactors, which produce about a quarter of the nation's electricity. A fifth is under construction at Olkiluoto on the west coast, but is far behind schedule and over budget. Its permit was granted in 2002.