Russia's concern Titan-2, the principal contractor for the Hahikivi nuclear project, to be built at Pyhäjoki in northern Finland, has selected its first Finnish sub-contractor, Destia Ltd.

Titan-2 said that in making the selection, it had focused attention on companies based in northern Finland, which are familiar with the site territory. Destia Ltd will be responsible for stump extraction, removing soil and vegetation, carrying out excavation work, and building embankments and the temporary road. The company will start working this month. Alexander Zmikhnovsky, deputy director of Hanhikivi construction programme said Titan-2 will shortly "identify contractors for three more lots of work on the site."

The project is owned by Finland's Fennovoima, in which a 34% stake is held by RAOS Voima Oy, the Finnish subsidiary set up last year by Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom for the purpose of buying a share in the company.

Titan-2 and Destia have agreed not to disclose the exact value of the sub-contract, Fennovoima said. Rusatom Overseas, a Rosatom subsidiary that manages its overseas projects, announced in January that contracts had been signed at the end of December with Titan-2, Atomenergomash and Gidropress. Hanhikivi 1 will have a Gidropress-designed AES-2006 plant, with a 1200MWe reactor.

Construction of the plant is scheduled to start in 2018 once the Finnish government awards a construction licence in line with Finland's Nuclear Energy Act, Titan-2 said. It is scheduled to start generating electricity by 2024.

Earlier this month, the Finnish government announced that domestic ownership of Fennovoima now exceeded 65%, following new financial commitments from utility Fortum, construction and project management company SRV and stainless steel maker Outokumpu. A construction licence application can now go ahead.

Photo: Image of the Hanhikivi nuclear plant