2009 Report to Government on National Research and

3.111 Fundamental and applied research in support of geological disposal is principally
conducted within SKB; a small amount of additional independent R&D is
conducted via the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) 13 , university PhD
students and outside consultants. Every 3 years, SKB submits a research,
development and demonstration programme (the FUD programme) <strong>to</strong> SSM
which describes SKB's planned scientific and sociological research. The
programme is reviewed by SSM, the National Council for Nuclear Waste (the
Swedish equivalent <strong>to</strong> CoRWM) and independent overseas experts. It is also
posted on the web for public consultation. SSM takes all the comments made in<strong>to</strong>
account before making a recommendation <strong>to</strong> <strong>Government</strong> about the programme.
The Council’s review of the 2007 SKB programme is available. 14 The Swedish
NGO Office for Nuclear Waste Review (MKG) has formally requested the
<strong>Government</strong> <strong>to</strong> scrutinise carefully SKB’s proposed FUD-07 programme on the
grounds that new research on copper corrosion calls in<strong>to</strong> question aspects of the
KBS-3 concept (MKG 2008).
3.112 Much of the R&D in<strong>to</strong> final s<strong>to</strong>rage of spent nuclear fuel has taken place
underground in the Äspö Hard Rock Labora<strong>to</strong>ry, north of Oskarshamn. The Äspö
research facility has been the focus of much fundamental geosphere research
activity as well as supporting the development and testing of technological
disposal solutions. Experiments are carried out at a depth of about 500 metres in
collaboration with Swedish and international experts; Äspö has played a central
role in a large number of EU nuclear-related research programmes.
3.113 Results of Swedish R&D are published in a series of reports, all of which are
independently peer reviewed, often by international experts including some from
the UK, freely available and downloadable from SKB’s website. Some research is
also published in academic journals.
Finland
3.114 In 1994, the Nuclear Energy Act came in<strong>to</strong> force in Finland, according <strong>to</strong> which all
nuclear waste must be treated, s<strong>to</strong>red and disposed of in Finland. Detailed site
investigations began at four sites in 1993, resulting in the recommendation and
selection of a single site, in the bedrock of Eurajoki’s Olkiluo<strong>to</strong> island, in
December 2000.
3.115 Since 1994, research, development and planning work for geological disposal in
Finland has been carried out by Posiva Oy, a company jointly formed by the
nuclear power companies Teollisuuden Voima Oy (TVO) and Imatran Voima Oy
(IVO). R&D is principally supported by the excavation of the underground rock
characterisation facility, ONKALO, as part of the site investigations carried out in
Olkiluo<strong>to</strong>. At depth investigations in the Olkiluo<strong>to</strong> rock characterisation facility are
underway. The R&D programme reports in 3-year periods and is reviewed by the
regula<strong>to</strong>r (STUK).
3.116 Finland also has a Public Sec<strong>to</strong>r Research Programme aimed at supporting the
regula<strong>to</strong>ry activities and maintaining expertise in national research institutes;
13 The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) was formed in July 2008 by merging the
Swedish Radiation Protection Institute (SSI) and the Swedish Nuclear Power Inspec<strong>to</strong>rate (SKI).
14 http://www.karnavfallsradet.se/Uploads/Files/337.pdf
CoRWM Document 2543, Oc<strong>to</strong>ber <strong>2009</strong> Page 53 of 151