Estonia energy company Fermi Energia has begun the site selection process for that country’s first nuclear power plant, more than a decade after government officials initially approved construction of a reactor.
Fermi Energia on Jan. 14 announced the company has submitted an application to the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications to begin the state spatial planning process for a 600-MW nuclear power plant. The power station, which would feature two GE Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactors (SMRs), is part of the European country’s plan to develop more energy infrastructure.
“A state spatial plan is essential for identifying the optimal nuclear power plant location that aligns with both technical requirements and community interests,” said Fermi Energia CEO Kalev Kallemets. “While initiating this planning process doesn’t guarantee construction, it establishes the foundation for future decision-making. Recent trends in electricity consumption underscore Estonia’s need for reliable, controllable energy capacity to ensure system stability and maintain competitive electricity prices in the coming decades.”
Much of the country’s current power generation comes from burning oil shale and fuel oils. The country is home to the Narva Power Plants, part of a power generation complex in and near Narva, which is near the Russian border. The complex includes the world’s two largest oil shale-fired thermal power plants, Eesti Power Plant (Eesti Elektrijaam) and Balti Power Plant (Balti Elektrijaam).
Fermi Energia on Tuesday said the company has conducted information sessions in at least 15 communities over the past six year to determine the best site for a nuclear power facility. The company said the authorities in the towns of Viru-Nigula and Lüganuse “have formally agreed to participate in the spatial planning process, with decisions made on September 28, 2023, and March 28, 2024, respectively.”
Officials said the nuclear power project would have three phases. Site pre-selection will begin this year, continuing to 2027, and include a “comprehensive evaluation of potential locations,” focusing “on areas near Kunda in Viru-Nigula County and Aa village in Lüganuse County,” and considering “population density and environmental preservation.”
Fermi Energia hopes to confirm a site sometime between 2027 and 2029, and submit an application to obtain necessary construction permits in 2029. The current timeline calls for construction to begin in 2031, with the first reactor operational by in the second half of 2035.
The two GE Hitachi BWRX-300 SMRs would be “designed to meet Estonia’s minimum base load electricity requirements,” according to Fermi Energia. The company said the nuclear power generation capacity would support the country’s existing and planned renewable energy resources.