The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority’s new decision on the application of the nuclear safety guide YVL A.2 harmonises STUK’s requirements concerning the precautionary action zone and emergency planning zone of nuclear power plants.
In February last year, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) revoked its previous order on the emergency response arrangements of the nuclear power plant and, consequently, also its previous requirements for a five-kilometre precautionary action zone and a 20-kilometre emergency planning zone. According to the new regulation, the precautionary action zone and emergency planning zone of the nuclear power plant are defined on a case-by-case basis.
STUK’s guide for the location of a nuclear power plant (YVL A.2) from 2019 uses the previous definitions of the precautionary action zone and emergency planning zone, and some of the requirements of the guide conflict with the new regulation.
In order to clarify the regulation, STUK published a decision presenting the requirements and definitions that are revoked from the YVL A.2 guide. The decision does not affect the definition of precautionary action zones and emergency planning zones of the current nuclear plants in operation. However, the licensees of power plants may, if they wish, apply for an amendment to the implementation of the requirements of the previously prepared guide YVL A.2.
STUK is currently undergoing a comprehensive reform of the nuclear safety regulations, which is linked to the reform of nuclear energy legislation being prepared by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland. STUK also decided that the YVL guides concerning the location of the nuclear plant will not be updated in their entirety now, but that the changes resulting from the new regulation will be provided in STUK’s decision.
