RD&D-Programme 2004 - SKB

Nuclear power plant
Clab
m/s Sigyn
Medical care, industry
and research
Spent nuclear fuel
Operational waste
SFR
Figure 1-1. The spent nuclear fuel is interim-stored in Clab. Low- and intermediate-level
operational waste is finally disposed of in SFR.
SKB has been operating a final repository for short-lived waste, an interim storage facility for
spent nuclear fuel and a system for transporting the nuclear waste between the different facilities
for many years now, see Figure 1-1. Several new facilities are needed to manage and dispose of
all nuclear waste in Sweden, including an encapsulation plant to encapsulate the spent fuel and a
deep repository to dispose of it.
1.1.1 SFR
There is a final repository for radioactive operational waste (SFR) for the short-lived lowand
intermediate-level operational waste from the nuclear power plants. SFR is located at the
Forsmark Nuclear Power Plant and has been in operation since 1988. The facility is located
at a depth of 50 metres beneath the seabed.
The storage chambers consist today of four 160-metre-long rock caverns of various configurations,
plus a 70-metre-high cavern in which a concrete silo has been built. One of the four rock
caverns contains low-level waste enclosed in ordinary freight containers. The waste in this
part of the facility can be handled without any kind of radiation shielding. Three of the caverns
receive intermediate-level waste, which requires radiation shielding. The concrete silo is also
intended for intermediate-level waste, mainly filters for purification of reactor water. At the
end of 2003, there was 30,059 m 3 of waste deposited in SFR. The total deposition capacity is
63,000 m 3 . An expansion of the capacity will be necessary in the future.
1.1.2 Clab
The spent nuclear fuel is interim-stored in water pools in a central interim storage facility
(Clab) at the nuclear power plant in Oskarshamn. The facility was put into service in 1985.
Clab consists of a receiving section at ground level where transport casks with the spent fuel
are received and the fuel is unloaded under water.
The actual storage chamber consists of two rock caverns whose roofs are 25–30 metres below
the ground surface. Each rock cavern is approximately 120 metres long and contains five pools.
The water in the pools serves both as a radiation shield and a cooling medium. The top end of
the fuel is eight metres below the water surface. The radiation level at the edge of the pool is so
low that the personnel can stand there for an unlimited time.
20 RD&D-Programme 2004