Finland has become the first country in the world to issue a permit to operate a repository for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel. The decision by the government in Helsinki allows the company „Posiva“ to encapsulate and store radioactive waste from the „Olkiluoto“ and „Loviisa“ nuclear power plants.
The facility is located on the island of Olkiluoto, in the western part of the country. It includes an above-ground encapsulation facility and an underground storage facility called „Onkalo“ - a word that means „cave“ in Finnish. The underground part is built into the rock layers at a depth of over 400 meters.
The start of storage has not yet been determined
The issued permit does not mean that the actual storage begins immediately. Before that, the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority must carry out an inspection and confirm that all conditions for safe operation have been met. According to “Posiva“ there is still no exact date for the start of operations.
The repository is designed to be used for about 100 years. It can store quantities of spent nuclear fuel containing a total of up to 6,500 metric tons of uranium. The project has been in development for more than 40 years, and the application for an operating permit was submitted in December 2021.
Multi-layered protection underground
The spent fuel will be sealed in special containers. They will have an inner part of cast iron and a copper shell with a thickness of five centimeters. The containers will then be lowered into pre-drilled holes in the rock and surrounded by an additional protective layer of bentonite clay.
This system combines engineered and natural barriers - the container, the clay and the stable bedrock. The aim is to keep radioactive materials isolated from people and the environment for a long period.
„Our responsibility to future generations is to ensure the safe and responsible use of nuclear energy - from the construction of the facilities to the final disposal of the spent fuel“, said Minister of Climate and Environment Sari Multala.
The government decision followed the positive safety assessment of the Finnish nuclear regulator, issued in August. After the completion of the final tests and the regulator's inspection, “Posiva“ will be able to proceed to production operation.
Sources: bta.bg