Finland lifts emergency planning zone restrictions for nuclear power plants--Seetao

The new regulations of the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) no longer require a 5 km preventive action zone and a 20 km emergency planning zone around all nuclear power plants, but instead adopt a method of determining the protection zone based on a site-specific situation analysis and will be implemented from February 1, 2024. Under the new rules, applicants for nuclear power plant licenses must separately explain to regulators each time what protected areas are needed to ensure safety, on a case-by-case basis. Under the new regulations, people and the environment must remain safe. When determining the size of the Preventive Action Area (PAZ), it should be demonstrated that in the event of an accident, the radiation dose of an unprotected person outside the PAZ will not exceed 1 Sv for 10 hours after the start of irradiation. When determining the size of the Emergency Planning Area (EPZ), it should be demonstrated that in the event of an accident, the radiation dose of an unprotected person outside the EPZ will not exceed 10 mSv for 48 hours after the start of irradiation. The maximum distance of the EPZ can be limited to 20 km. The new rules apply to all potential nuclear power plants. For the much-watched small modular reactors, the change means plants can be built closer to residents than under the old regulations if their safety can be demonstrated. Editor/Xu Shengpeng

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