GOSSER - Geological Safeguards and Security R&D Project in Finland - How STUK prepares itself for the Final Disposal in Finland

Volume: 56, June 2018, pages 2-5

Authors: O. Okko, M. Moring, T. Honkamaa, E. Martikka, M. Hämäläinen

_{Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK)}

Abstract: The licensed construction of the disposal facility in Finland begun in autumn 2016 as the foundation works for the encapsulation plant and the excavations of the access tunnels to the canister shaft and canister storages in the geological repository were initiated. The disposal of spent nuclear fuel is scheduled to start in Finland in mid 2020’s after the operational licence is granted. To ascertain that necessary technical safeguards tools are available at that time, STUK, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority of Finland has set up a national R&D project GOSSER (Geological Disposal Safeguards and Security R&D). GOSSER’s main objective is the f inal isation of the national Finnish concept for safeguarding the final disposal of the spent nuclear fuel. This concept and related R&D efforts are coordinated with the Finnish facilities, European Commission and the IAEA. Activities in GOSSER include so far: 1) Participation in R&D of robust, reliable, and accurate methods to verify spent nuclear fuel prior to final disposal. The work has been done in cooperation with Helsinki Institute of Physics, the IAEA and other international partners. 2) Participation in the Safeguards-by-Design process of the Finnish encapsulation plant and final repository and, when necessar y, development of safeguards methodologies for attaining knowledge of the verified nuclear material and to maintain it for future generations.

Keywords: Spent Nuclear Fuel; Safeguards; IAEA; Geological Disposal; Final Disposal; Safeguards-by-Design

Reference guideline:

Okko, O., Moring, M., Honkamaa, T., Martikka, E., & Hämäläinen, M. (2018). GOSSER - Geological Safeguards and Security R&D Project in Finland - How STUK prepares itself for the Final Disposal in Finland. ESARDA Bulletin - The International Journal of Nuclear Safeguards and Non-proliferation, 56, 2-5. https://doi.org/10.3011/ ESARDA.IJNSNP.2018.1