Kola and Leningrad - a potential risk to Finland?

Among the nuclear reactors in eastern Europe, only the Leningrad and Kola nuclear power plants are so close to Finland's borders that they can be considered to pose any real radiation risk to Finland. An accident at any of the more distant plants would not have consequences more severe than those caused by Chernobyl in 1986. Severe reactor damage at the Leningrad or Kola plant could mean that protective measures against radiation would have to be instituted in Finland, too. Some restrictions on land use might be necessary later. The size and location of the area affected and the required measures would depend primarily on the weather conditions prevailing during the accident. Even in the worst cases, the radiation doses would be so small that no one would immediately develop symptoms of sickness. The Leningrad plant is of the same type as the Chernobyl plant. However, a repeat of the Chernobyl accident cannot occur there because the explosion risk of reactors of this type has been eliminated. With the exception of a few details, the reactor and turbine units of the Kola nuclear power plant are similar to those in Loviisa. In contrast, the design criteria and the systems needed to keep accident situations under control are clearly different from those used by Loviisa. (orig.)