Foundation stone for Posiva's encapsulation plant laid in ONKALO® area
The foundation stone for Posiva's encapsulation stone was laid today in a festive ceremony in Olkiluoto in the municipality of Eurajoki. Posiva announced already earlier this summer that it had decided to implement the production facility which is designed for spent fuel management and consists of the encapsulation plant and the underground final disposal repository.
According to Posiva's CEO and President Janne Mokka, the laying of the foundation stone is an important step in the long preparoty phase for the final disposal facility.
- This demonstrates that we are proceeding in accordance with the plan defined already in the 1980s. The entire nuclear energy sector in Finland can take pride of the solution we have for the final disposal of spent fuel, enabling us to start final disposal in a responsible manner. The laying of the foundation stone is perhaps a small step in terms of worksite progress, but a giant leap for final disposal, nuclear power and climate, Mr. Mokka says.
- We are now about to the take the preparations for final disposal to the implementation stage of the facilities; a stage which is unique on the global scale. I feel particularly proud of Posiva's personnel who can boast world-class expertise in final disposal. Together with our competent partners we are making history in our industry.
The construction and engineering of the encapsulation plant and the final disposal repositories is a major construction project in the Satakunta region. The cost estimate of the construction project totals ca. 500 million EUR and it has an employment impact of ca. 2500 person years.
In addition to Posiva's CEO and President Janne Mokka, present at the foundation stone ceremony were the Prime Minister of Finland Mr. Antti Rinne, the Chairman of the Municipal Board of Eurajoki Mr. Vesa Jalonen, the Chairperson of the Eurajoki Municipal Council Ms. Ilona Sjöman, the Chairman of Posiva's Board of Directors Mr. Jarmo Tanhua (TVO), the CEO of Skanska Mr. Tuomas Särkilahti as well as Posiva's Board Members Ms. Satu Katajala (Fortum), Mr. Sasu Valkamo (Fortum) and Ms. Minna Laakso (PVO).
For more information, please contact:
Interview requests: Pasi Tuohimaa, Communication Manager, tel. +358 40 544 5001
Janne Mokka, CEO and President, tel. +358 2 8381 3800
Posiva Oy is the leading final disposal operator in the world, preparing to start in the 2020’s the final disposal of the spent nuclear fuel generated by its owners TVO and Fortum Power and Heat Oy in the ONKALO®facility excavated deep in the bedrock. The Finnish Government granted Posiva the construction licence for the final disposal facility in 2015. The same operating licence process that is required in the construction projects of nuclear power facilities will also need to be carried out prior to the start of the actual final disposal of spent fuel.