Riigikogu wants greater say in nuclear power station decisions
Lawmakers are proposing an amendment that would give the Riigikogu the final say on whether a nuclear power station can be built in Estonia.
The Riigikogu's Economic Affairs Committee on Monday approved an amendment to the Nuclear Energy and Safety Act that would require Riigikogu approval before any nuclear reactor can be built in Estonia.
The requirement would be in addition to approval by the government and the relevant regulator, in this case the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA).
The amendment itself still requires a Riigikogu vote before entering into law.
Economic Affairs Committee chair Marek Reinaas (Eesti 200) said the committee had reached a consensus on Riigikogu approval of construction of a nuclear power plant.
"We agreed that if the competent authority concludes, as a result of the review process, that the construction of a nuclear power plant is justified and feasible, it will submit a preliminary assessment and draft decision to the government. The government will then formulate its position on the matter and submit it to the Riigikogu for a final decision," Reinaas said.
The proposal was based on an amendment submitted to the committee by the Social Democratic Party's (SDE) Riigikogu group and sponsored by committee member Jaak Aab (Independent).
Aab, a former minister, said a nuclear power plant or other nuclear facility carries elevated environmental, economic and security risks for the country, meaning the legislature should have the final say on its construction.
"Riigikogu approval is a reasonable way to ensure and demonstrate how much public support there is in society for the decision to build a nuclear power plant," Aab said.
The amended bill's second reading is scheduled for Wednesday. Three readings are required before a bill can become law. The Riigikogu begins its summer recess next Thursday, June 18.
The draft Nuclear Energy and Safety Act establishes a legal framework for selecting a nuclear power plant site, construction, testing, operation, decommissioning and the final disposal of nuclear waste.
The bill also establishes a national nuclear regulator under the TTJA, along with the rights and responsibilities associated with that role.
Estonia currently has no nuclear power station. Nuclear reactors at a submarine training facility in Paldiski were decommissioned after Estonia regained independence.
Most proposals for a power station of this kind focus on the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) type.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Märten Hallismaa
