Posiva’s operating licence is the result of decades of commitment, expertise and cooperation

In Finland, we have built our approach on the principle that nuclear power plant owners bear responsibility for their spent nuclear fuel. Finland’s accession to the European Union accelerated the reform of the Nuclear Energy Act in 1994. At that time, the Act was amended to require that nuclear waste generated in Finland must be managed and disposed of in Finland, while the import and export of nuclear waste for final disposal were prohibited.

Together with Teollisuuden Voima Oyj, Fortum’s predecessor Imatran Voima established Posiva to develop a solution that would enable the safe final disposal of the spent nuclear fuel generated by its owner companies in Finland. The guiding principle behind this work was that the generation benefiting from nuclear power should also take responsibility for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel, instead of passing the challenge on to future generations.

The operating licence granted yesterday by the Finnish Government is a major milestone for both Finland and the nuclear industry. It brings us one step closer to the start of spent nuclear fuel final disposal. The operating licence does not mean that final disposal operations will begin immediately. Posiva will now finalise the commissioning stage, carry out the necessary tests and inspections, and together with the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK), ensure that all conditions for the start of operations are met.

Fortum’s expertise as part of Posiva’s journey

Fortum’s nearly fifty years of experience in operating the Loviisa nuclear power plant have provided a strong foundation of expertise that we have also been able to contribute to Posiva. Over the years, our experts have carried out more than 90 projects for Posiva, covering a broad range of areas related to final disposal.

Our contributions have included the design of the final disposal and encapsulation facilities, long-term and radiation safety assessments, preparation of safety case materials for the operating licence application, and the development of solutions needed for spent nuclear fuel management and the future operation of the facility.

People and cooperation behind the achievement

Commitment, long-term cooperation and strong technical expertise can achieve remarkable things, and Posiva is proof of that.

I have had the privilege of following this work closely for many years. We in Finland can be proud that, through decades of dedicated effort, we have together developed a responsible solution for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel.

I would like to extend my warmest thanks to everyone who has been part of this journey. The operating licence demonstrates that even the most demanding challenges in the nuclear sector can be solved safely.