Description of the Posiva repository for spent fuel

Heikki Raiko

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference article in proceedingsScientific

Abstract

In Finland, the spent nuclear fuel will be emplaced in the bedrock at a target depth of 420 metres. Posiva Oy is the company responsible for high active nuclear waste management in Finland. Currently, an underground rock characterization facility ONKALO is under excavation since summer 2004 at the selected final disposal site Olkiluoto on the west coast of Finland. Construction of the actual final disposal facility will begin after the accepted construction license that will be applied by the end of 2012 and the facility is planned to be operational in 2020. According to the present plans, the final disposal will be implemented in a way that fuel bundles as a whole will be sealed in canisters that are made of nodular cast iron, enclosed in a corrosion resistant, 50 mm thick copper shell. The canisters will be emplaced in holes drilled at the bottom of the tunnels excavated in the bedrock. The canisters are surrounded with compacted bentonite clay. Deep repository prevents unintentional human intrusion into the final disposal facility and the depth will damp the possible effects acting on ground surface even in very long time perspective. The disposal facility is described in more detail in the reports named in Reference list. The Finnish design is nearly similar to the Swedish concept introduced by Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Co (SKB). Posiva and SKB are in close co-operation in developing of the concept and technology. The materials technology challenge in the spent fuel disposal is concentrated on the manufacture, sealing and inspections of the iron-copper canister that is expected to survive for 100 000 years in the reposity conditions.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBaltica VIII
Subtitle of host publicationLife Management and Maintenance for Power Plants
Place of PublicationEspoo
PublisherVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Pages95-112
Volume1
ISBN (Electronic)978-951-38-7592-3
ISBN (Print)978-951-38-7591-6
Publication statusPublished - 2010
MoE publication typeB3 Non-refereed article in conference proceedings
EventBALTICA VIII - International Conference on Life Management and Maintenance for Power Plants - Helsinki-Stockholm, Finland
Duration: 18 May 201020 May 2010

Publication series

SeriesVTT Symposium
Number264
ISSN0357-9387

Conference

ConferenceBALTICA VIII - International Conference on Life Management and Maintenance for Power Plants
Country/TerritoryFinland
CityHelsinki-Stockholm
Period18/05/1020/05/10

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