7 Oct (NucNet): Posiva of Finland and SKB, a Sweden-based nuclear waste management company, have signed a three-year cooperation contract related to the research and development of the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel.
Posiva said in a statement that the two companies will work together on encapsulation and final disposal technology.
The statement said the agreement will help both companies in their plans to build final disposal facilities.
“Joint development of final disposal technology means resources are used effectively and the outcome is better than when operating alone,” said SKB managing director Claes Thegerström.
In March 2011 SKB submitted a licence application to the authorities to build a final disposal facility in Forsmark in the municipality of Östhammar and an encapsulation plant in Oskarshamn. If the Swedish government gives a favourable decision in 2014, SKB estimates that it can begin final disposal in 2025.
In Olkiluoto, Posiva is building an underground research facility, Onkalo, which reached its final disposal depth last year. Posiva plans to submit the construction licence application for the actual final disposal facility to the Finnish government next year with final disposal scheduled to begin in 2020.
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
Excavation Contract Signed For Finland’s Onkalo Research Facility (News No. 73, 26 March 2004)
Sweden’s SKB Applies For Final Repository Permit (World Nuclear Review No. 11, 18 March 2011)
