01.04.2008 Lauri Myllyvirta

Helsinki, April Fool’s Day – Ten Greenpeace activists are welcoming participants to the annual shareholder meeting of the Finnish state energy company Fortum with banners and Pinocchio noses. Greenpeace want to remind that the promises about reducing Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions and meeting the Kyoto emission target with nuclear power are not going to be realized. Greenpeace calls on Fortum to abandon its planned nuclear project and invest strongly in renewables.

Greenpeace Nordic energy campaigner Lauri Myllyvirta said:
“The annual emission reductions achieved with Olkiluoto 3 once it is in use will be a third of what the Finns were told. Accounting for the delay of the reactor, the emission reductions during Kyoto target period will be a tenth of the industry estimate. The figures are based on public calculations by Finnish energy industry itself. The nuclear industry successfully fooled Finnish people with its promises about climate protection and we want to make sure that does not happen again.”

Fulfilling Kyoto emissions target was among the most important arguments for the nuclear power plant now being built in Finland. The original estimate of emission reductions was based on the assumption that nuclear power would replace coal-fired electricity generation. Now the industry plans on keeping the coal plants running and in reality the nuclear reactor has partially crowded out investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Emission reductions by nuclear power are also constrained by the fact that 90% of Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions are generated in sectors other than separate power generation. These emissions cannot be affected by nuclear power.

Greenpeace Nordic energy campaigner Lauri Myllyvirta:
“In addition to emission reductions, also other promises about low cost electricity, jobs and other benefits have not or will not happen. Still Fortum is trying to sell Finns a new reactor with the same unfounded promises.”

The state owned energy company Fortum has cashed in 400-600 million euros a year thanks to emissions trading. Greenpeace is now calling on Fortum to invest this money in renewable energy such as forest bioenergy, biogas, wind power, cultivated bioenergy and micro hydro power.

Contact
Energy campaigner Lauri Myllyvirta, +358 50 3625981
Communications officer Juha Aromaa, +358 50 3696202