Finland Times

 

Petteri Tiippana at the information centre of The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Finland (STUK) office on Thursday. Photo Lehtikuva.

The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority in Finland (STUK) said the spent nuclear fuel encapsulation plant and final disposal facility designed by Posiva can be safe.

 

In a release, STUK said safety review and assessment was essential to ensure that the requirements of the Nuclear Energy Act are met.

 

The assessment is also for the decision on construction licence which the Ministry of Employment and the Economy will prepare.

 

The final decision to issue a licence for construction will be decided by the government.

 

According to STUK, Posiva is expected to apply for the licence in 2020. 

 

“We have already assessed that the operational and long-term safety of the nuclear waste facility are on a sufficiently high level for granting the construction licence.

 

This is a new type of facility, which is why the appropriate approach is to progress in phases and, at the same time, assess and elaborate the designing of the facility on the basis of the accumulating knowledge,” said Jussi Heinonen, section head at STUK.

 

STUK requires Posiva to continue its studies related to long-term safety and further elaborate on the scenario and safety analyses conducted. Posiva shall improve the Safety Case drafted for the operating licence application and clearly present their grounds for and conclusion on the final disposal operations and safety.

 

The final disposal must not cause any harmful radiation exposure to people or the environment, said STUK.