Today, the power companies – Vattenfall, E.ON and Fortum – submitted a license application through their subsidiary SKB to build a final repository for spent nuclear fuel in Forsmark. The application was submitted to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority [SRSA] and to the Environmental Court, despite the heavy criticism that has been aimed towards the company. The decision to submit the application was unanimous during SKB’s board meeting earlier this day, except for one board member, Anders Wijkman, who forfeited his vote. Apart from being the only board member independent from the nuclear industry, Wijkman is a former member of the European Parliament and an avid participant in the environmental debate.
The situation regarding the process of deciding on a final repository for spent nuclear fuel in Sweden is almost to be considered a disaster. Several years of surveys and research have now resulted in an application containing major faults and issues. The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation [SSNC] and the Swedish NGO Office for Nuclear Waste Review [MKG] are not only critical towards the choice of site for the final repository, but towards the technical method as well (find more about the views of MKG and SSNC via the links below).
In order to determine whether the application is ready for review or not, a first examination is being made by SRSA who are expected to give a statement in a couple of months. If the regulator concludes that the application is ready for review, a thorough examination will take place during the next couple of years. This examination will be conducted by the Environmental Court and SRSA. The Swedish National Council for Nuclear Waste will also examine the application. Furthermore, the application is intended to be sent to the intergovernmental organization for nuclear energy OECD/NEA for consultation.
