Finland's Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä (Cen) said on Thursday that he would not propose granting a building permit for the Fennovoima nuclear plant at Hanhikivi in northern Finland.
Speaking in Parliament during a debate on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Lintilä said that the project, which includes a Russian owner and a Russian nuclear reactor, would not be proceeding any time soon.
"It's quite clear that as a consequence of this conflict this project will at least be significantly delayed," Lintilä told the STT news wire later on Thursday.
According to Lintilä, the building permit would cross his desk after the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority STUK has made its own assessment.
Lintilä said he had not been in touch with Fennovoima on Thursday.
During the debate in Parliament, Lintilä had stated that parts for the reactor would be made in Donetsk, one of the cities in breakaway regions of Ukraine now occupied by Russian forces.
Given the overall security situation, Lintilä said that he did not think it likely that he would be able to recommend that Finland grants the project a building permit.
