FINLAND | FOCUS ON EUROPE
Far left: ONKALO in 2004 Photo credit: Posiva Oy
Left: Encapsulation plant construction site in 2017 Photo credit: Posiva Oy
Principles of disposal The principle of geological final disposal is to isolate the nuclear waste from the biosphere until its radioactivity has decreased to an insignificant level. Safety of the final disposal concept in Olkiluoto is
based on the KBS-3 concept, which consists of crystalline bedrock as the natural barrier and an engineered barrier system (EBS). The EBS components are a disposal canister, a bentonite buffer, a bentonite backfill of the deposition tunnels, a deposition tunnel plug and closure of other underground openings in the final disposal facility. The primary barrier to contain and isolate spent nuclear
fuel from the biosphere is the copper-cast-iron canister. Buffer surrounding the canister limits the movement of groundwater from the bedrock to the canister and protects it from rock movements. Backfill and closure of the deposition tunnels prevent water flowing in the tunnels and the end plug keeps the backfill in place. The disposal concept has been studied iteratively along
with site studies and developed in detail by defining requirements for its components, testing material performance at different scales (laboratory, field scale and in ONKALO®
several potential suppliers of the EBS components. Posiva applied for a construction licence for a final
disposal facility and for the encapsulation plant in 2012. The application included a safety case, TURVA-2012, to address the safety of the final disposal of spent nuclear
fuel in Olkiluoto. The construction licence was granted by the Finnish Government in 2015. Construction of the final disposal facility was started in
2016 and construction of the encapsulation plant in 2019. To prepare for operation, Posiva will perform a trial run
of final disposal in which all operations, from the interim storage of spent nuclear fuel to the encapsulation and final disposal, will be performed with the technology, organisation and procedures which will be used in real operations later. The only difference from the actual final disposal is that instead of spent nuclear fuel, dummy fuel elements will be used. The tunnel for performing the trial run was finished in June 2021. Posiva is currently building the encapsulation plant and the final disposal facility. The construction work has proceeded well,and the encapsulation plant will be ready for installation and commissioning of the systems in 2022/23. Construction of the first five deposition tunnels is also under way in the final disposal facility.
) and performing manufacturing tests with
The operating licence application Posiva is the first company in the world to apply for an operating licence for encapsulation and a final disposal facility. The application was submitted to the Finnish Government at the end of 2021. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will
review the operating licence application and eventually forward it to the Council of State for approval. STUK will U
2030
2040 2050 2100
FINAL DISPOSAL OF FUEL FROM OL1/2/3 AND LO1/2 PLANT UNITS
2110
2120
CLOSURE OF FINAL DISPOSAL FACILITY
SAFETY ASSESSMENT AT LEAST EVERY 15 YEARS
Operation starts
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