VZCZCXRO1725
RR RUEHAST
DE RUEHHE #0567 1671459
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161459Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2043
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS HELSINKI 000567 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
STATE FOR JOSETTE SHINER 
DOE FOR CLAY SELL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG TRGY PARM PREL KNNP FI RU
SUBJECT: FINNISH NUCLEAR SAFETY 
 
REF: A. HELSINKI 499    B. HELSINKI 505 
 
¶1. (SBU) On June 1, Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja 
told Ambassador Ware that Finland is willing to provide 
nuclear safety technology and assistance as part of the 
package of incentives the U.S., the EU3 and Russia intend 
to offer Iran to defuse the current standoff over Iran's 
weapon's program (ref A).  Finnish nuclear safety experts 
are very familiar with Russian technology and hardware, and 
their nuclear storage and safety capabilities are generally 
considered to be among the best in the world.  This cable 
offers an internal Embassy analysis of this Finnish 
capability. 
 
¶2. (SBU) In the late 1970s and early 1980s Finland built 
two nuclear power plants (NPPs) using VVER pressurized 
water reactors from the Soviet Union.  Finnish experts note 
that the reactor cores, reactor vessel, heat exchangers and 
turbines were well designed and engineered, but lacked 
control and safety systems that met Western standards, and 
had no containment.  Finland had to render the VVER 
reactors safe by fitting western (mostly German, British 
and U.S.) control and safety systems to the Soviet power 
unit.  Containment proved a gargantuan task.  The Finns 
achieved the nearly impossible by designing and building 
the world's largest containment buildings to fit around the 
awkward Soviet apparatus. 
 
¶3. (SBU) This thorough understanding of Soviet nuclear 
technology enabled the Finns to write the definitive 
rulebook for safe operation of VVER reactors.  Finland's 
two Soviet reactors hold third and fourth place in the 
world in terms of capacity load factor ranking (the ability 
to operate safely and produce at nearly maximum output.) 
Finland's Swedish built reactors hold world ranking places 
one and two. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Finland also has developed expertise in the 
operations of the other Soviet reactor design, the RBMK 
(reactor bolshoy moshchnosty kanalny - high-power channel 
reactor) - the "Chernobyl type" - reactor.  A major NPP 
employing this design lies just across the Gulf of Finland 
at Sosnovyi Bor, west of St. Petersburg.  Finland devoted 
considerable effort in the mid 1990s to develop safe 
operations procedures for this plant - which was clearly in 
Finland's own interest.  This graphite-moderated boiling 
water reactor was originally designed for the production of 
plutonium, but as it produces a great amount of easily 
retrievable heat, the Soviets modified it for electricity 
generation.  Since the design is inherently unstable, 
Finland cooperated closely in the international project to 
upgrade RBMK reactors and their operations procedures, 
alarm systems and radiation monitors. 
 
¶5. (SBU) COMMENT: Whether or not the Russians would welcome 
Finnish improvements to the reactor they intend to offer as 
part of the incentive package remains an unanswered 
question.  However, from a political and technical 
perspective the Finns are well placed to make a timely, 
welcome contribution to the incentives package. 
 
WARE