Sweden building world’s second nuclear waste storage site amid safety concerns

[Jack Aylmer]

SWEDEN IS BUILDING THE WORLD’S SECOND EVER FACILITY FOR STORING SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL.

LOCATED A LITTLE OVER 90 MILES NORTH OF STOCKHOLM, IT IS BEING DESIGNED TO SECURELY HOUSE HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE WASTE FOR 100,000 YEARS.

FINLAND REMAINS THE ONLY OTHER COUNTRY CLOSE TO COMPLETING A PERMANENT STORAGE SITE.

THE CHALLENGE OF SAFELY STORING RADIOACTIVE WASTE HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT ISSUE FOR THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY SINCE THE 1950S. 

GLOBALLY, APPROXIMATELY 300,000 TONS OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL AWAIT DISPOSAL, ACCORDING TO THE WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION.

MOST OF THIS WASTE IS CURRENTLY STORED IN COOLING PONDS NEAR REACTORS OR SPENT FUEL CASKS–LARGE CONCRETE STRUCTURES– ON A FACILITY PROPERTY.

THE REPOSITORY IN SWEDEN WILL CONSIST OF NEARLY 40 MILES OF TUNNELS BURIED OVER 16 HUNDRED FEET DEEP IN BEDROCK ESTIMATED TO BE 1.9 BILLION YEARS OLD. 

THE SITE IS DESIGNED TO HOLD 12,000 TONS OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, WHICH WILL BE ENCASED IN CORROSION-RESISTANT COPPER CAPSULES, PACKED IN CLAY, AND BURIED. 

OFFICIALS SAY THE FACILITY WILL BEGIN ACCEPTING WASTE IN THE LATE 2030S, WITH FINAL CLOSURE ONCE IT HITS CAPACITY PROJECTED FOR AROUND 2080.

HOWEVER, THIS PROJECT COULD STILL FACE DELAYS AS A RESULT OF SAFETY CONCERNS. 

A NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION IN SWEDEN WORKING WITH NUCLEAR WASTE HAS LODGED AN APPEAL WITH A SWEDISH COURT CALLING FOR FURTHER REVIEWS OF THE FACILITY.

THE GROUP CITED RESEARCH SUGGESTING THE COPPER CAPSULES COULD CORRODE OVER TIME, POTENTIALLY LEAKING RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS INTO GROUNDWATER.

THE COST OF DEVELOPING THIS REPOSITORY IS ESTIMATED TO EXCEED 1 BILLION DOLLARS. 

THE SWEDISH NUCLEAR INDUSTRY WILL FUND THE PROJECT-

WHICH IS EXPECTED TO ACCOMMODATE ALL WASTE PRODUCED BY THE NATION’S CURRENT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS.

HOWEVER, IT WILL NOT INCLUDE WASTE FROM ANY FUTURE REACTORS- 

AS SWEDEN PLANS TO CONSTRUCT 10 MORE BY 2045.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M JACK AYLMER.