WorkshopS

GEN IV Webinar – Safe Final Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel in Finland

February 22, 2023

This webinar highlights the history, describes the status, and examines the strategy for safe final disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Finland. A privately held company, Posiva Solutions Oy, is responsible for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel of its owners. Posiva is charged with research & development, planning and design, as well as the construction and operation of the encapsulation plant and final disposal facility.

Following the site investigation (1983–1999), Posiva applied for a decision-in-principle from the Finnish government and parliament. It was granted 2001. In 2012, Posiva applied for the construction permit, which was authorized in 2015, and started preparatory construction works in 2016. Construction works of the encapsulation plant and the excavation of the underground facilities started in 2019 and will be ready in 2023. Posiva submitted the operating permit application to the Finnish government in December 2021. A Trial Run of Final Disposal (TRFD) will be carried out in 2024, prior to the estimated start of the operation in 2025. Safeguards are applied for the first time for a spent fuel repository.