energy experts and NGO-representatives from 25 European countries gather in Helsinki.
Introduction of the speakers and program can be found on the homepage:

 http://uraanitieto.tormunet.fi/encc

The participants in the conference are bringing their messages to the political groups in the Finnish Parliament, to the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Environment. In a Hearing taking place in the Parliament building the participants are expressing their concern about the plans to build new nuclear reactors in Finland, to start uranium mining and to open a final repository for spent fuel.
In the hearing representatives from the energy companies Fortum and Fennovoima will be present as well as a representative from the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Members of Parliament will also be present.

The participants in the conference are however dissapointed that MPs from the biggest parties in Parliament (Center Party, Social Democrats, National Coalition party) have not revealed their intentions to attend. The participants have also expressed concern about the fact that both TVO (the owner of the Olkiluoto 3 reactor under construction) and Posiva (building the final repository for spent fuel in Olkiluoto) have refused their invitations to attend the hearing. 
The participant stress that the majority of  Europeans are of the opinion that nuclear power should be reduced rather than increased.

ANTONY FROGATT has worked as a freelance consultant on energy and nuclear issues in the EU and neighbouring states. He has worked at length on EU energy policy issues for European Governments, the European Commission and Parliament and commercial bodies. He stresses that the only reactor ordered in the EU for 10 years is in Finland. In December 2006, Areva announced that the reactor was 18 months behind schedule. So far it seems the costs are1.5 times the original price. Frogatt also emphasizes Standard & Poors announcement that developing new nuclear reactors in the deregulated European market  is a high-risk venture, given the long construction times and high capital costs.

NILS-AXEL MOERNER, professor of paleogeophysics and geodynamics, is a specialist on the Fennoscandian uplift, paleoseismicity, neotectonics and the general stability of the Fennoscandian bedrock. He has repeatedly been criticizing the KBS-3 method developed by Swedish and Finnish nuclear waste companies for the disposal of spent fuel: " Today we know for sure that there is no "safety" to lean on in the future perspective of 100.000 years or so. Therefore, we can no longer talk about a long-term safety of a KBS-3 repository; at least not with an anchoring in modern geoscientific achievements."

MANUEL PINO, is a professor of sociology and Director of American Indian Studies at Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, Arizona. Manuel has worked in the area of American Indians and the environment for the past thirty years with an emphasis on uranium mining and nuclear fuel cycle issues impacting Indigenous Peoples throughout North America. He warns the Finnish people of the dangers of uranium mining. Nowhere in the world has uranium ever been mined without polluting the environment and endangering the people in the uranium mining areas.

FREDE HVELPLUND  is educated within economy and social anthropology and is professor and Dr. Techn. in Energy Planning at the Department of Development and Planning at Aalborg University. Together with members of the Sustainable Energy Group at Aalborg University, and colleges from other Danish Universities, he has made several renewable energy and energy conservation plans for Denmark. The first one was the alternative energy plan from 1976, and the latest the 2006 energy plan. He is firmly convinced that  Finland has the same possibilities as Denmark: " It is technically possible to halve the Danish consumption of fossil fuels before 2025 and to reach 100%  renewable energy and conservation before 2050 in an economically sustainable way.This does not happen on its own on the market, but requires a systematic policy, which will often meet a strong resistance from established energy companies, as they may loose market shares."
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