There is no need to wait for all laws to be passed before launching the process or making a preliminary selection of a nuclear power plant site, Deputy Secretary General for Planning at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Ivan Sergejev, told ERR.

"There is no rush, but there is also no reason to carry out the processes sequentially when they can be done in parallel, and nothing prevents that. We are currently putting in a significant effort to make the planning process more efficient and user-friendly, and this approach aligns with that principle," he explained.

The location must be approved by the national supervisory authority, which will assess various factors, including safety. Establishing this authority requires nuclear energy-related legislation, which is still being drafted in Estonia.

Fifteen areas are under consideration and the working group believes four are suitable.

The likelihood that the chosen site will need to be changed due to new laws is very low, said Antti Tooming, head of the nuclear energy working group.

However, a more detailed approach to the project can only start after the relevant laws and regulations are in force.

Sergejev said there are two stages of the planning process. "One is the general site selection analysis, and the other is determining the detailed solution. We cannot proceed with the second stage before the laws are in place," he said. "But we can complete the first stage."

"We are at the very beginning of this process, and there is no reason to halt it right away. There is no point in deciding not to proceed from the outset. We can start the process, and the truth will emerge as part of it," the official added.

The coalition plans to adopt the legal acts necessary for assessing the safety of the nuclear power plant at the beginning of 2027.

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