Kemijärvi council demands joint assessment of pumped-storage hydropower plants

The Kemijärvi city council has formally demanded a unified environmental impact assessment for four planned pumped-storage hydropower plants, arguing that separate evaluations fail to capture cumulative risks such as sediment contamination, Yle reports.

In a decision on Tuesday, the council instructed city officials to submit the demand to the Regional State Administrative Agency (LVV), the project developers, and the regional development center by the end of June. The move follows a 2025 initiative signed by 13 council members, which warned that individual assessments overlook broader environmental threats—particularly the release of hazardous compounds long buried in lakebed sediments.

The council had already voted in February to oppose pumped-storage projects within its jurisdiction, but developers—including Kemijoki Oy, Pohjolan Voima, and Suomen Voima—continue to advance plans for facilities at Ailangantunturi, Askanaapa, Räisälä, and Kapusta. Combined, the projects represent roughly €2 billion in potential investment, though local opposition centers on environmental concerns rather than promised tax revenue or jobs.

Despite the council’s earlier rejection, the city is conducting a preliminary study to provide independent data on the projects’ impacts.