Finland Approves License for World's First Nuclear Waste Repository

Finland's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) has endorsed granting an operating licence for the world's first geological repository for spent nuclear fuel. The facility, built by nuclear waste management company Posiva on Olkiluoto Island in Eurajoki, will encapsulate high‑level waste in iron‑copper canisters and place them 400‑450 metres underground. STUK’s safety assessment concluded that the repository meets all radiation and nuclear safety requirements, with no obstacle to licensing for the period from March 2024 to the end of 2070, subject to final government approval.

The regulator examined both operational safety and long‑term geological safety, estimating safe storage for at least 100,000 up to a million years. STUK Director General Petteri Tiippana said, "This is a significant step in the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel that has been prepared for more than 40 years." The licence will allow Posiva to begin operations after the Finnish government makes the final decision.