Communication strategy for final disposal facility

In May 1999, Posiva filed an application for a policy decision to the Council of State on the construction of a final disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel in Olkiluoto in the municipality of Eurajoki. The decision to be made by the Council of State must be ratified by the Parliament. The precondition for a positive decision is that the preliminary statement on safety to be provided by STLTK by the end of the year 1999 is in favour of Posiva. continuing with its repository development programme, and that the Eurajoki municipality approves the project in its statement by the 28th of January 2000. The policy decision by the Council of State is expected to be made in March followed by the ratification of the Parliament before the summer. In a poll-carried out among 350 decision-makers, less than 10 % of those who answered 134 persons) found Internet as the most important source of Posiva's information on final disposal. On the other hand, over 80 % of those who answered found the information folder as the most significant source of information. When considering all the information available on final disposal (TV, radio, newspapers, authorities, environmental organisations, etc.) Posiva was found to be the most significant source of information while newspapers and periodicals came second. In this case the environmental organisations seemed to have a minor role, as a result of not being too active in confrontation. As a conclusive remark it can be assumed that because it is not only Posiva's information that is relevant to decision-makers, but the media also plays a significant role, the impression that decision-makers have of final disposal is based on a mixture of messages coming from Posiva and from the media. That is why the communication related to decision-makers is also communication with media, in order to ensure that the messages produced by the media support the information produced by Posiva