In Finland, the management of the entire power plant life cycle is a precondition for sustainable nuclear electricity production. Posiva, founded by its owners Fortum and TVO (Teollisuuden Voima), will conduct the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel from both currently operational nuclear power plants, Loviisa and Olkiluoto, in a responsible manner.
Final disposal begins in Finland, the first in the world
The deployment of the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel is planned to begin in Finland around the mid-2020s. Final disposal of Fortum's Loviisa power plant's spent nuclear fuel is scheduled to begin in the 2040s.
The final disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel will be constructed within the solid Olkiluoto bedrock with no major fractures at a depth of 400–450 meters. The potential effects of changes above ground and in the atmosphere, and the effects of human activities on the immediate surroundings of the repository, have been taken into account in the design of the final disposal concept.
Final disposal is based on the use of multiple release barriers, which guarantee that nuclear waste cannot come into contact with organic nature or people. These barriers include the state of the fuel, the final disposal canister, the bentonite buffer, the backfilling of the repository tunnels and the surrounding Olkiluoto bedrock.
The final disposal solution for spent nuclear fuel has also been examined through environmental impact assessments. Environmental responsibility for final disposal is also on a financially sustainable foundation because, in Finland, nuclear power companies must cover the costs of nuclear waste management, and the requisite funds are set aside in the State Nuclear Waste Management Fund.
