HELSINKI, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Finland's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) on Tuesday backed the granting of an operating license for the world's first geological repository for spent nuclear fuel, the authority said in a press release.
The encapsulation and final disposal facility was built by Finnish nuclear waste management company Posiva on Olkiluoto island in Eurajoki, western Finland.
STUK said the facility meets the radiation and nuclear safety requirements for an operating license, clearing a key regulatory hurdle.
"This is a significant step in the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel that has been prepared for more than 40 years," STUK Director General Petteri Tiippana said.
Under Posiva's disposal system, high-level spent nuclear fuel will be sealed in iron-and-copper canisters at an above-ground encapsulation facility. The canisters will then be placed permanently in tunnels built 400 to 450 meters underground in the bedrock.
STUK said its assessment covered the facility's operational safety, long-term geological safety and Posiva's readiness to begin operations. Since 2000, the regulator and its external experts have spent more than 250 person-years supervising and assessing the project.
Posiva has applied for an operating license valid until the end of 2070. STUK proposed that the company conduct its first periodic safety assessment within 10 years of receiving the license and update its long-term safety case after the disposal system has been brought into operation.
Spent nuclear fuel is currently kept in interim storage at Finland's nuclear power plants. Finnish law prohibits the import of nuclear waste from other countries for disposal in Finland.
The Finnish government will make the final decision on whether to grant the license, according to STUK. ■