Helsinki - Finnish energy group Fortum on Thursday filed an application to build a new nuclear reactor power plant in Finland, the company and government said.

The planned location was near the city of Loviisa, some 90 kilometres east of Helsinki, where the group operates two of Finland's four nuclear power plants.

Five different plant alternatives were being considered, the group said, adding the design was to allow both heat and power production.

Advantages with the location near Loviisa included that construction would not change land ownership or protective zones, Fortum said.

The employment and energy ministry said it would request statements from other ministries, authorities and organizations, including the city of Loviisa.

The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority was also to make a preliminary safety assessment of the project, the ministry said.

The total cost for the 1,000-1,800-megawatt nuclear power plant unit was estimated at 4-6 billion euros (5.1-7.7 billion dollars), Fortum said.

In an environmental impact study last year, Fortum said discharge of cooling water in the sea was likely the "most significant environmental impact."

Low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste was to be stored at the plant location near Loviisa while spent fuel would be deposited in a final repository at Olkiluoto, south-western Finland.

Two other reactors are operating and a third reactor is under construction at Olkiluoto. (dpa)