Finland's Radiation & Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK – Säteilyturvakeskus) has adopted a new regulation that no longer stipulates a five-kilometre precautionary action zone or a 20-kilometre emergency planning zone around all NPPs. In the future, those applying for a licence for a power plant must each time separately indicate what kind of protection zones are needed to guarantee safety. The new regulation applies to all possible NPPs. For small modular reactors (SMRs), the change means that, provided safety can be demonstrated, the plants could be built closer to populated areas than would be possible under the previous regulation.
