Siting a repository for nuclear waste -- Feasibility studies in eight municipalities

The full background for the selection of sites for site investigations was presented in a report by SKB in December 2000. This 'Integrated account of method, site selection and programme prior to the site investigation phase' was the result of a Government decision in early 2000, requiring that SKB should present such an account for review by the government authorities concerned, and by the Government itself. After a thorough review process, the Government concluded in November 2001 that it had no objection to the SKB starting investigations within the three sites that the Company has specified. The municipal councils in Oesthammar and in Oskarshamn decided almost unanimously to allow SKB to start site investigations in the Forsmark and Simpevarp area, respectively. Following these municipal decisions, SKB has commenced site investigations in the Forsmark area during winter 2002 and in the Simpevarp area during summer 2002. This means that the site selection process in Sweden has entered into a new phase. Formal consultation processes - in accordance with provisions in the Environmental Code - with persons, municipalities and government authorities concerned - have started during the first half of 2002. These consultation processes will have in view the possibility of a future application for a site permit regarding a final repository in the Forsmark area or in the Simpevarp area. The two consultation processes will probably be carried out in parallel. The fact that the site selection process has entered a new phase is a good reason for providing an up-to-date picture of how the eight Swedish municipalities have handled the 'nuclear waste management issue' since SKB started their feasibility studies in the beginning of the 1990s. This is a mainly descriptive report of more important events up to summer 2002. The report contains no proposals. The current report consists of four main parts. Part I is an account of certain basic facts about the division of responsibilities, technical issues, safety, legislation and main actors in regard to the handling, storing and disposal of spent nuclear fuel and long-lived nuclear waste from Swedish power reactors. The information in this part is primarily intended for readers with only limited knowledge of nuclear waste management issues. In Part II, the different phases in the selection of a site for final disposal are explained. Emphasis is on matters of particular importance from a municipal perspective. Information is provided on rules in the legislation about consultations to be initiated by the company when preparing a future application for a siting permit, including an environmental impact statement. Part III shows how the eight municipalities have organised their own work in connection with the feasibility studies made by SKB. These eight municipalities were Storuman and Malaa in northern Sweden, Oesthammar, Tierp and Aelvkarleby close to the power plant of Forsmark in central Sweden, and Oskarshamn and the neighbouring Hultsfred, close to the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant in southern Sweden. The time period covered is from 1992 to summer 2002. For each municipality some general background facts are given about geographical location, area, population, industry, employment and voting behaviour. The process that occurred, in each case formally initiated by SKB, and leading up to some sort of municipal acceptance of SKB carrying out a feasibility study, is described. Next comes an account of the methods and the organisation each municipality chose in order to follow the feasibility study work in detail and to influence the contents of a preliminary report by SKB from the study. Then follow descriptions of how each municipality carried out its review of SKB's preliminary report, which views and demands were presented to SKB as a result of this municipal review, and how SKB responded as reflected by the main contents of SKB's final report. The course of events in each of the municipalities from the moment SKB presented their choice of three sites for further investigations (late 2000) up to the positive decisions by the municipal councils in Oesthammar, Oskarshamn and Aelvkarleby and the negative decision by the municipal council in Tierp during the winter months 2001/2002 is accounted for. There is a concluding presentation of how each municipality informed its inhabitants and of municipal efforts to build up knowledge and competence among both elected representatives and the general public. Part IV deals with cooperation and interaction between the municipalities concerned, between these municipalities and the County administrative boards concerned (the Government's regional authorities) and finally between these County administrative boards. Readers who do not understand Swedish but are interested in more details should contact the Swedish National Council for Nuclear Waste - KASAM (for e-mail to the secretary of KASAM, please go to web site www.kasam.org)