Sweden has officially received court approval to move forward with a pioneering €10.4 billion nuclear waste repository. This ambitious project aims to safely store spent nuclear fuel for up to 100,000 years.
This makes Sweden one of the first nations, alongside Finland, to adopt long-term burial solutions for nuclear waste.
The Land and Environment Court has recently granted a permit to the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) to initiate construction at Forsmark, located about 130 kilometres north of Stockholm.
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Forsmark, already home to one of Sweden’s three active nuclear power plants, will host the final repository for Sweden’s nuclear waste, while a mid-term storage facility is planned for Oskarshamn in the south.
The court’s approval includes the storage of nuclear waste from Sweden’s current nuclear programme, specifically waste from the country’s 6 operational reactors. SKB anticipates storing roughly 6,000 copper-coated canisters, each holding two tonnes of waste, which will be carefully sealed and deposited deep underground.
The waste capsules are to be stored in bedrock tunnels drilled 500 metres beneath the surface. According to court documents, bentonite clay – a type of volcanic ash that swells when mixed with water to form a watertight seal – will fill the gaps around the canisters, offering added protection against earthquakes and preventing water intrusion.
Critics voice their concerns over radioactive leaks
Environmental groups and residents near Forsmark have voiced reservations, citing worries about the durability of the copper-coated canisters and the risks of long-term contamination. Nevertheless, SKB asserts that the repository is designed to minimise any environmental impact, with numerous safety checks and protections embedded in the plan.
The Swedish government has reportedly pledged to increase nuclear power output equivalent to two reactors by 2035. However, in a statement, the court clarified that the current approval “does not cover nuclear waste from any future nuclear power programme,” ensuring the permit only applies to waste produced by Sweden’s existing reactors.
By tackling the challenge of long-term nuclear waste storage, Sweden aims to pave the way for other nations facing similar nuclear waste disposal challenges.