World’s first permanent underground nuclear waste storage facility

Finland is building the world’s first permanent underground storage facility for high-level nuclear waste, marking a major milestone in sustainable nuclear energy management. 

About the Onkalo Repository

The facility, known as the Onkalo spent nuclear fuel repository, is:

• Located near the Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant in western Finland
• Being constructed at a depth of around 400 metres underground
• Designed to safely store spent nuclear fuel for thousands of years.

Advanced Safety Design

The repository incorporates multiple safety barriers to prevent radiation leakage:

• Storage deep within stable granite rock formations
• Engineered to ensure long-term geological stability
• Built to withstand environmental and geological changes over millennia.

Environmental Significance

• Addresses the challenge of long-term nuclear waste disposal
• Sets a global benchmark for safe nuclear waste management
• Reflects Finland’s strong commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.