The Council of State, on the submission of the Ministry of Trade and Industry and by virtue of Section 81, first paragraph, point 2 of the Nuclear Energy Act (990/87) given on 11 December 1987, has decided on the following:
Chapter 1
Scope and definitions
Section 1
Scope
Any holder of a construction and operating license for a nuclear power plant shall take care of emergency response arrangements at the nuclear power plant as prescribed by this decision.
Section 2
Definitions
In this decision:
- emergency shall refer to an accident or other event during which a nuclear power plant's safety degenerates or is in jeopardy of degenerating significantly;
- severe accident shall refer to an emergency in which a considerable part of the fuel in the reactor is damaged;
- emergency response arrangements shall refer to actions at a nuclear facility and on-site to limit nuclear damage; and
- nuclear power plant shall refer to a nuclear installation equipped with a nuclear reactor which is intended for electricity generation, or, if several such or other nuclear installations have been placed on the same site, the entity of installations formed by them.
Chapter 2
Emergency planning
Section 3
Design bases
Emergency planning shall be based on the analysis of nuclear power plant behaviour in emergencies and on the analysis of the consequencies of emergencies.
Action in an emergency shall be planned taking into account controllability of events as well as severity of their consequences. Therefore, emergencies shall be grouped into classes.
Emergency response arrangements shall be consistent with management of operation and physical protection of nuclear power plants.
Emergency response arrangements shall also be consistent with the rescue service and emergency plans made by the authorities in provision against nuclear power plant accidents.
Section 4
Emergency organization
The duties and responsibilities of personnel who plan and implement emergency response arrangements (emergency organization) shall be defined.
Section 5
Operational preparedness
Provisions shall be made at a nuclear power plant to carry out in an emergency the measures necessary to keep an accident under control. Provisions shall be made to analyse the emergency and its consequences as well as to assess their postulated development.
On site of a nuclear power plant provisions shall be made to carry out radiological and meteorological measurements in an emergency to assess the dispersion of radioactive substances.
There shall be appropriate rooms and equipment as well as sufficient communication and alarm systems for emergency response arrangements.
It shall be ensured that there is always enough personnel promptly available in an emergency.
Informing the media and the public in an emergency shall be preplanned.
Section 6
Emergency plans
Approval for the plan referred to in Section 35, point 4 (preliminary emergency plan) and the report referred to in Section 36, first paragraph, point 6 of the Nuclear Energy Decree (161/88) and amendments therein shall be applied for with the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety.
The licensee shall provide the Ministry of the Interior, the county government and the rescue service authority concerned with approved emergency plans and amendments therein.
Chapter 3
Maintenance of preparedness and action in emergencies
Section 7
Maintenance of preparedness
Appropriate training and exercises shall be arranged to maintain operational preparedness. Exercises shall also be arranged in co-operation with the authorities concerned.
The rooms and equipment reserved for emergency response arrangements shall be maintained operational at all times.
Documents pertaining to emergency response arrangements shall be continuously updated.
Section 8
Action in an emergency
In an emergency, immediate action in compliance with the emergency plan shall be taken. Also in other respects, effective action shall be taken to prevent or limit radiation exposure.
The local alarm centre concerned and the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety shall be immediately notified of an emergency. Furthermore, the rescue services command centre and the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety shall be provided with the information necessary in the event of an emergency.
On site of a nuclear power plant, the authority of command referred to in Section 30, third paragraph of the Act (559/75) which addresses rescue services is exercised by the individual designated for the task in the emergency plan until the rescue service officer concerned announces he assumes command responsibility for rescue activities. Enough assisting personnel with expert knowledge of nuclear technology and radiological protection shall then be placed at the disposal of the authority.
Chapter 4
Miscellaneous provisions
Section 9
Measures pertaining to rescue services
In an emergency, the licensee shall arrange for off-site radiation monitoring in order to promptly obtain information on the dispersion of radioactive substances in the environment.
The licensee shall, in liaison with the authorities responsible for rescue services, supply the local population with advance instructions for emergencies. In emergencies the licensee is obliged to take part in warning and alerting those in jeopardy.
The licensee shall maintain continuous preparedness to perform measures related to rescue services in an emergency. These measures shall be practised in co-operation with the authorities concerned. The plans for measures pertaining to rescue services are set forth in the emergency plan.
Section 10
Application to other nuclear facilities
Apart from nuclear power plants, this decision applies to other nuclear facilities to the extent required by the degree of danger posed by the nuclear damage at the facility in question.
Section 11
Detailed regulations
Detailed regulations for emergency response arrangements are issued by the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety.
Section 12
Entry into force
This decision enters into force on 1 March 1991.