Repair work begins on Finland's Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor

Finland's Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor has started to work on a previously reported problem that causes vibrations in its cooling unit. The problem must be fixed before regulators sign off on its safety, operator TVO said on Thursday. Start-up of the reactor, Finland's first new nuclear plant in some 40 years, is a decade behind schedule amid repeated setbacks in its construction.

In March, the reactor received an operating permit from the Finnish government, the first one issued in 40 years, but it still requires a final nod from regulators before fuel is loaded and production can start in 2020. TVO is applying liquid absorbers that use bitumen as a material to fix the vibrations, a solution approved by the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Authority (STUK), said the firm.

"Installation of absorbers has been started and will be completed during spring. STUK will audit the installed structures before the loading of nuclear fuel," it said. Once the reactors start, 90 per cent of Finland's electricity needs would be met by domestic production, up from some 80 per cent now.