Finland Times

 

From left, Minister of Economic Affairs, Olli Rehn, Herkko Plit and Janne Mokka Posiva's CEO at the press conference in Helsinki on Thursday. Photo Lehtikuva.

The government on Thursday granted Posiva Oy a licence to set up a spent nuclear fuel encapsulation plant and disposal facility at Olkiluoto, said an official press release.

 

Following the grant, the nuclear waste company will be allowed to deposit a maximum of 6,500 tonnes of uranium in the facility. 

 

“The construction licence is an important step in responsible use of nuclear energy in Finland. The long-term safety of final disposal is a matter of great importance. It must be monitored throughout the service life of the disposal facility,” said Minister of Economic Affairs Olli Rehn at a press conference after the approval of the licence.

 

The government included several conditions in the construction licence. When applying for an operating licence, Posiva must submit analyses of the environmental impacts of the facility, retrievability of the spent nuclear fuel, transport risks involved, and any changes that may have been introduced in the project.

 

Posiva said construction work under the licence may start towards the end of next year. The disposal facility can be ready for operation in 2023.

 

“The construction licence granted now is the first in the world for a spent nuclear fuel disposal facility. Finland is an international pioneer in nuclear waste management, which also obliges us to take care of matters responsibly and safely in future. Finnish expertise also provides us with commercial opportunities in developing nuclear waste management in other countries,” observed Rehn.

 

The spent nuclear fuel will be packed inside copper canisters at the encapsulation plant, from where they will be transferred into tunnels of the disposal facility located at a depth of 400-450 metres, and further into the deposition holes lined with bentonite buffer. 

 

Under construction Olkiluoto nuclear facility. File Photo Lehtikuva.,

Posiva Oy submitted its application for the construction licence to the government in December 2012. 

 

The processing of the application also included a consultation round. The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority submitted its statement and safety assessment in February 2015.

 

In its decision-in-principles dated 21 December 2000 and 17 January 2002, the government determined that the project referred to in the application is in line with the overall good of society.

 

Parliament retained the above decision-in-principles in force on 18 May 2001 and 24 May 2002 respectively. 

 

“The construction licence that has now been granted for our final disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel is a significant achievement for us, our owners and our entire personnel. This pioneering project is important not only for Finland, but also on a global scale. It is the first project entering into construction phase in the whole world,” said Posiva Oy President and CEO Janne Mokka.