Consultation for final disposal of spent nuclear fuel

Consultation with stakeholders is a legal requirement in the preparation of an EIS. SKB has held a large number of consultation meetings in Sweden an account of the EIS for the final repository system.

The applications for permits for a final repository system for spent nuclear fuel must include an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) according to the Swedish Environmental Code. The EIS describes what consequences the planned activity is expected to have for man and the environment and how they can be prevented or mitigated. It is prepared in consultation with the stakeholders.

About 60 consultation meeting were held and about 3,000 questions and viewpoints. The question and answers were gathered yearly in a book that was translated to English. The applications, including an EIS and a consultation report were submitted in March 2011.

Compilations of consultations

• Compilation 2009-2010
• Compilation 2008
• Compilation 2007
• Compilation 2006
• Compilation 2005
• Compilation 2004
• Compilation 2003

Consultation according to the Espoo Convention

Consultations in accordance with the Espoo Convention shall be carried out if an activity is likely to have a significant environmental impact in another country.

The consultations in accordance with the Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (Espoo Convention) should focus on activities or measures that are likely to have a significant environmental impact in another country, such as release of radionuclides from the final repository for spent nuclear fuel.

Five of the countries around the Baltic Sea expressed their interest in being part of a consultation procedure for the EIS. One consultation has been carried out with these countries. A second and final consultation is planned, with focus on the Safety Analysis and the Environmental Impact Statement. The consultation process is coordinated by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).