Finland is on the verge of burying spent nuclear fuel in the world’s first geological repository, where it will be stored for 100,000 years.
This pioneering nuclear waste disposal project is hailed as both a milestone for the long-term sustainability of nuclear energy and as a “model for the entire world.”
At some point next year or early 2026, highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel will be packed into watertight canisters and deposited more than 400 meters below the forests of southwestern Finland.
Durable copper canisters will be isolated, separated from humans, and kept underground for thousands of years.
“Onkalo,” the trademarked name of the long-term disposal facility, is the Finnish word for a small cave or pit. It is a fitting name for the repository, which sits atop a tunnel and is located next to three nuclear reactors on the island of Olkiluoto, about 240 kilometers from the capital, Helsinki.
Established in 1995, the company Posiva is tasked with the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel in Onkalo. The Finnish company is jointly owned by the nuclear company TVO and the utility Fortum.
“Essentially, the Onkalo project means we are building a facility for encapsulating and disposing of spent fuel. And it’s not temporary, it’s forever,” said Pasi Tuohimaa, a spokesperson for Posiva, in an interview with CNBC.