Areva says the letter was simply part of a regular question and answer process under which safety issues were dealt with. "These issues will not involve additional delays," said a spokesman. But Areva admitted that the scheme, already believed to be three years late, still has no definite new opening date. In December, before the letter was sent to the French by STUK, Areva accused its Finnish client, power company TVO, of failing to make progress on measures to speed up the passing of technical details to the safety authorities there.