Joint Convention | STUK-B-series | Whole report (PDF, 2.04 MB)

STUK-B 96

Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. 3^rd Finnish National Report as referred to in Article 32 of the Convention. STUK-B 96. Helsinki 2008. 95 pp.

ISBN 978-952-478-394-1 (print)
ISBN 978-952-478-395-8 (pdf)
ISSN 0781-1713

Executive summary

In accordance with the provisions of the Article 32 of the Joint Convention, this is the Finnish National Report to the 3^rd Review Meeting of the Contracting Parties in May 2009. The report presents recent developments in the areas of spent fuel management and radioactive of waste management in Finland for the review of the contracting parties in the 3^rd review meeting of the JC.

The safety of spent fuel managements and safety of radioactive waste management were intensively developed in Finland during the reporting period 2005–2007. Most of the activities, resources, progress and substantial results were related to the regulatory control and implementation of the spent fuel final disposal project.

Since per legislation spent fuel is considered as radioactive waste in Finland, the two nuclear power plants, the Loviisa and Olkiluoto NPPs, are the main generators of radioactive waste. The Loviisa plant comprises of two 488 MW_e(net) VVER units, operated by Fortum Power and Heat Oy, and the Olkiluoto plant two 860 MW_e(net) units, operated by Teollisuuden Voima Oyj. The Loviisa units were connected to the electrical network in 1977 (unit 1) and 1981 (unit 2) and the Olkiluoto units 1 and 2 in 1978 and 1980, respectively. In addition, a new nuclear power plant unit is being constructed at the Olkiluoto site (at the end of the reporting period, there were two more reactor units in the Environmental Impact Assessment Procedure; political decisions on their future are expected during 2009–2010*). At Olkiluoto and Loviisa sites there are interim storages for spent fuel as well as final repositories for medium and low level radioactive wastes. Furthermore, Triga Mark II research reactor is operated in Espoo by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. During the reporting period, the Finnish fuel cycle policy continued to be based on the once-through option.

* For the third reactor project, a preliminary site selection process was underway in 2007 and the EIA procedure was formally started when the programme for the EIA procedure was submitted to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy on January 30, 2008. The political decision on the future of this reactor project is also expected during 2009–2010.

Overall, during the reporting period 2005–2007 the Finnish NPPs operated and produced spent fuel and radioactive waste as expected. The level of safety in spent fuel management and radioactive waste management was high and continued to be developed and improved in accordance with the Finnish national strategy, milestones and timetable. The licensees and the nuclear waste management company Posiva as a Decision-In-Principle holder, have shown good safety performance and rigorous safety management practices in carrying out their safety related responsibilities in the operation and in improving spent fuel and radioactive waste safety in existing NPP’s as well as in developing the final disposal further.

During the reporting period 2005–2007, the highlights in Finland were as follows:

Spent nuclear fuel disposal project progressed as planned:

• The project proceeded as planned with major developments, good progress and substantial results. Despite of the complexity of the work and challenges involved, no unexpected delays or problems were encountered. To help the reader to get a good insight into the work, major achievements in the regulatory approach are presented in annex L.1 and those regarding the implementation work in annex L.2.
• The construction of the underground rock characterisation facility, ONKALO, which is foreseen to be used as a part of the repository, started in July 2004 and the access tunnel progressed to the length of 2600 m and to the depth of 250 m at the end of 2007. Also, two ventilation shafts were constructed to the depth of 180 m.
• Related to the spent fuel disposal, Posiva continued to expand and strengthen its activities and resources. Progress has been achieved in the areas of site studies; features, events, processes (FEPs); evolution studies (climate, site, and repository); scenarios; engineered barrier system (copper canister, bentonite buffer); radionuclide transport; biosphere; safety assessment and the safety case methodology. Posiva submitted a large number of RD&D and construction documents and materials to STUK for regulatory review.
• In the reference disposal design (“KBS-3V”) spent fuel canisters are emplaced in vertical holes drilled in the floors of the deposition tunnels. In parallel with the disposal reference design, an alternative design (called “KBS-3H”) is being studied. In this concept the canisters are emplaced in horizontal position in smaller-diameter deposition tunnels. A feasibility study of this horizontal variant of KBS-3 has been carried out as a joint project between Posiva and the SKB of Sweden during 2003–2007.

The regulatory system was strengthened

• STUK re-organized and expanded its staff and operations in response to expanding operations of Posiva in constructing the ONKALO and in preparing to review the disposal facility (encapsulation facility and repository) construction license application expected to be submitted in 2012. In particular, STUK developed and started implementing a new regulatory approach for inspecting ONKALO and Posiva’s safety case activities. STUK’s inspection program utilizes a graded approach based on safety importance of the repository’s structures, systems and components.
• The Finnish nuclear legislation and regulatory guidance have been developed further. This work takes into account international guidance such as IAEA safety standards.

Progress was made in the spent fuel management

• Spent nuclear fuel from the Finnish NPPs is stored at the power plant sites until it will be disposed of. In Loviisa NPP, the installation of dense fuel racks was started in 2007 and will continue until 2018. The operating licence issued in 2007 allows storing spent fuel up to 1100 tU and this capacity will be adequate until the start of disposal of the spent fuel.
• At Olkiluoto site, where the construction of Olkiluoto 3 unit is ongoing, the design of the extension of the interim spent fuel storage started during the reporting period.

Management of LILW from nuclear facilities was improved

• The LLW disposal section of the Loviisa LILW disposal facility was taken in operation in 1998. The construction of the second stage of the facility – the cementation facility for solidification of wet ILW, and the ILW disposal cavern – was completed in 2007. The FSAR of the facility was accordingly updated and reviewed by STUK, and the commissioning is expected to be finalized in 2008.

Periodic safety reviews were done

• Periodic Safety Review, including spent fuel and radioactive waste issues, of the Loviisa NPP was carried out in 2005–2007 in connection with the extension of the plant’s operating license for additional 20 years. The corresponding periodic safety review is expected to be completed at the Olkiluoto NPP by the end 2008.
• The periodic safety reviews of the LILW disposal facilities are done at 15 years interval. For Olkiluoto LILW disposal facility taken into operation in 1992, the periodic safety review was made in 2007. In the same context the suitability of the waste packages from the new Olkiluoto 3 NPP unit for disposal in the facility was evaluated.
• During the reporting period, no spent fuel or radioactive waste events in the Finnish NPPs were reported.

Technical support and competence were developed

• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland continued to support effectively the regulatory body in safety assessment work, providing safety analysis capabilities and tools e.g. via the regulatory research programmes, and performing reviews of safety analyses.
• Management of competence, taking into account retirement of large post-war age groups born in late 1940’s and early 1950’s, is an overall concern also in Finland. During the reporting period, the Finnish nuclear safety community has succeeded well in recruiting new staff in response to the needs of the expanding nuclear sector. However, challenges remain in providing sufficient post-graduate education and training as well as funding for comprehensive knowledge transfer between the expert generations.
• International cooperation and transparency belong to the cornerstones of the development of the national solutions for spent fuel and waste safety in Finland. In addition to active participation in international and bilateral forums (IAEA, EU, WENRA, OECD/NEA), foreign consultants continued to participate both in regulatory reviews and Posiva’s development work.

Challenges for future work

• Main challenges are related to keeping up with the timely progress made with the Olkiluoto spent fuel disposal project. R&D-programs have a major challenge to produce results which are related to Olkiluoto-site, EBS and safety case and are needed to justify the construction licence application planned to be submitted 2012. Posiva and STUK invest in their processes and resources to ensure that all safety related regulatory and implementation tasks are correctly scheduled and of high quality. The current development requires new research and development programmes and more resources. To develop and maintain Finnish competence in nuclear safety, STUK provides guidance to the national research programmes on operational safety of nuclear power plants and on the safety of nuclear waste management geological disposal.
• In Olkiluoto, a new NPP is under construction and three new reactors have been proposed. EIA procedures regarding extension of the planned disposal facility are under way.
• The European Commission has proposed to harmonise the general requirements for nuclear power plant safety and nuclear waste management in the EU. In Finland, the safety regulations that are within the scope of the Nuclear Energy Act will be updated in the current strategy period of STUK (-2012). The structure of the detailed safety requirements (YVL Guides) prepared and published by STUK are being updated.
• The European Commission promotes worldwide co-operation to further develop nuclear, radiation and waste safety through its INSC and former TACIS and PHARE programmes. STUK has been and will be a supporter of this European development and involvement. During the reporting period, three fourths of STUK’s service volume comprises promotion of radiation and nuclear safety, including waste safety, in Eastern European countries.
• The retirement of post-war large age groups will affect public administration throughout, including STUK. The above activities require additional manpower and efforts from the nuclear power utilities and waste management company Posiva and regulatory body for strengthening their actives.
• Communication will become an increasingly important success factor for STUK, Posiva and power companies. Interest in radiation and nuclear safety topics will continue to increase. The media plays an important role in communication.

From the 2^nd Review Meeting

The 2^nd Review Meeting in 2006 identified challenges and items for follow-up, and recorded some planned measures to improve safety of nuclear waste management in Finland. On request of the Review Meeting these issues are included and responded in this 3^rd National Report of Finland. These items were (in brackets the articles, in which the issues are addressed):

• maintaining and managing technical competence and the knowledge transfer (See Article 20 and 22)
• management of certain types of institutional waste (e.g. highly active sealed sources, smoke detectors) (See Article 28)
• establishment of clear separation between the role of operator of storage facility for sealed sources and supervisory authority (See Article 28)
• extension of storage capacity for spent fuel at both nuclear power plant sites (See Article 32)
• completion of the ONKALO project (See Article 13–15, annexes L.1 and L.2)
• development of disposal concept (e.g. vertical versus horizontal emplacement of fuel) (See Article 32, 14-15, annex L.2)
• new Research & Technical Development programme (See Article 32, 13–15, annex L.2)
• Olkiluoto 3 LILW management arrangements (See Article 32, 12, 16)
• update and amendments of nuclear legislation and regulations (See Articles 19, 32, Annex)
• suggestion to report on experience with current practice for managing NORM waste (See Article 12)

The Conclusion: In conclusion, Finland complies with the obligations and objectives of the Joint Convention. Challenges for the future are recognized, regularly reviewed and addressed. Efforts for continuous improvements are needed and taken.

Joint Convention | STUK-B-series | Whole report (PDF, 2.04 MB)