The light at the end of the tunnel

Above: Finland’s final repository project is moving forward, with the start of excavation of the first final disposal tunnels now underway (Photo credit: Posiva)

The nuclear waste “problem” is one of the perennial issues that has engulfed the nuclear debate since almost the beginning of nuclear power as we know it.

For many decades, the nuclear industry has confidently proclaimed that “we can manage the waste”, and that the problem is not caused by a lack of technical solutions, but rather political obstacles. To date, most nuclear waste repositories have failed to materialise, largely as a result of failing to gain the social licence to go ahead with the projects. However, there is one shining example that stands out in the north-eastern fringe of Europe. Twenty years ago this month, NEI reported that the Finnish Parliament had approved the world’s first nuclear waste site at Eurajoki, near the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant on the Finnish east coast. Waste management group Posiva had submitted the application for the decision in principle to the government in May 1999. The application was based on the results of research and development activities carried out for about 20 years, including a site characterisation programme, and a comprehensive environmental impact assessment.

The start of operations reported in the article (2020) was not met, but the Onkalo facility is still slated to be the world’s first deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel. Earlier this year, it was announced that the first disposal tunnels were being excavated, with the facility expected to start accepting waste in the mid-2020s.

In the 20 years that have passed since the NEI article in June 2001, Posiva Oy has excavated half a million cubic metres of rock and excavated 10km of tunnels. An additional 40km are now planned as part of the final phase of the project, with the emplacement of nuclear waste.

The excavation of the first five disposal tunnels will take place over the next 18 months as part of Posiva’s €500 million EKA project, which covers the construction and equipment for the final disposal facilities, as well as the start of the final disposal in the first tunnel.

With Onkalo nearing completion, we can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel as far as the waste saga is concerned.

The lack of an operating facility anywhere in the world is an oft-quoted objection to the use of nuclear power, as “no solution to the waste problem exists”.

The start-up has the potential to be transformative for nuclear debates around the world and could signal the beginning of the end to one of the most infected conflicts that have engulfed nuclear.

However, it would be prudent to urge some caution, based on the long and sometimes painful history of nuclear waste management.

The nuclear industry has a proclivity to fall back into its mantra “give people facts about nuclear (waste) and they’ll accept us”, but the many failed siting processes for waste repositories that have been centred on the dissemination of facts speak to the contrary. The world’s first waste repository can likely teach the rest of the world more about public participation and engagement than pure engineering. The question is, will the world be willing to listen and learn?

In the 20 years that have passed since the NEI article in June 2001, Posiva Oy has excavated half a million cubic metres of rock and excavated 10km of tunnels. An additional 40km are now planned as part of the final phase of the project, with the emplacement of nuclear waste.

Author: John C.H. Lindberg FRSA