Environmental judgement means construction can start on SKB’s spent fuel repository

SKB has today received an environmental permit to build and operate the final repository for spent nuclear fuel in Forsmark and the encapsulation plant in Oskarshamn. The judgement was issued by the Land and Environmental Court, which is also granting SKB an enforcement order to enable initial work on the Forsmark area to begin at the turn of the year.

In January 2022, Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB (SKB) was granted permissibility and a licence by the Government to build a final repository for spent nuclear fuel in Östhammar Municipality and an encapsulation plant in Oskarshamn Municipality. SKB has now reached another important milestone, with the Land and Environmental Court issuing its environmental judgement, which sets out the conditions under which the facilities are to be built and operated.

Stefan Engdahl, CEO Photo Mikael Wallerstedt

Stefan Engdahl, CEO Photo Mikael Wallerstedt

– This is a major milestone for SKB. We’ve now been given the means and the environmental conditions to build a safe and sustainable final repository for the spent nuclear fuel. This is important for Sweden and fossil-free electricity production, says Stefan Engdahl, CEO of SKB.

Enforcement order means that work can start

A key element of the court’s judgement is the granting of the enforcement order, which means that work can start at both sites, even if the judgement is appealed. The work that falls within the framework of the order, and which can start once the County Administrative Board in Uppsala County has approved the control programme, includes protective measures and preparatory work. In Forsmark, where the Spent Fuel Repository is to be built, this involves tree felling, excavation work for the operational area, the construction of space to store rock, the construction of a bridge over the cooling water channel, the backfilling of the operational area and nitrogen purification facilities.

– We need to establish the necessary infrastructure above ground and get started with earthworks and protective measures. SKB has proposed conditions that take into account nature and the surrounding area. We’re adapting to the nesting periods of birds, moving protected species so that they can continue to live at the site and building bioreactors that remove nitrogen from process water, says Stefan Engdahl, CEO of SKB.

Before SKB can start on the actual tunnelling process, an approved safety analysis report is required from the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM). Construction of the Spent Fuel Repository in Forsmark will begin two years before the encapsulation plant in Oskarshamn, as they have different construction times. Both facilities are expected to be ready for commissioning in the mid-2030s.