One more step towards the creation of a Spent Nuclear Fuel repository in Sweden
Östhammar Municipality agrees to the establishment of a final repository for spent nuclear fuel in Forsmark.
– It is very gratifying indeed that Östhammar Municipality has made this historic decision. This is absolutely crucial for making it possible for Sweden to take the final responsibility for the radioactive waste produced by our generation, says Johan Dasht, SKB’s CEO.
An artist view of the disposal project
With this decision from Östhammar Municipality, the basis for a government decision is now in place. The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority has already given a favourable opinion of SKB’s application and in the licensing under the Environmental Code, SKB has submitted the requested supplements. Oskarshamn Municipality has agreed to the establishment of the encapsulation plant that is also a part of SKB’s final repository system.
– After 40 years of research and development, the matter of final disposal is now fully investigated and it is up to the Government to take a decision. We look forward to receiving an answer as soon as possible, says Johan Dasht.
– The Government’s decision will be the starting point for one of Sweden’s largest and most important environmental protection projects and triggers investments of around SEK 19 billion (1.85 billion Euros) , which will create about 1,500 employment opportunities.
The project has received this requested greenlight after other favorable decisions taken in 2018, one by the Land and Environment Court, which however required additional documentation on the disposal containers, and one by the Swedish Safety Authority (SSM), in the form of a recommendation to the government to approve the spent nuclear fuel disposal project at Forsmark.
The Government’s decision will be the last necessary step before the facility becomes a reality.
