Other Required Permissions and Procedures
In addition to the decision-in-principle, construction licence and operating licence required by the Nuclear Energy Act, a number of other permissions, plans and procedures are also necessary.
A spent nuclear fuel disposal facility, and an encapsulation facility in particular, require several environmental permits during their construction and operation. These include, for example, a construction licence, an environmental permit and permits for changing the quality of the groundwater and conducting water in accordance with the Water Act. These permits shall be applied for before the operations begin, in compliance with all valid national and municipal regulations.
A construction licence for each building shall be applied for from the municipality. According the current plan, application will be made for a construction licence for at least a ventilation shaft building, an encapsulation facility, underground repository and an operations building. In addition to these, a separate permit is required for such activities as crushing. Currently, a valid permit for the deposition of rock material has been acquired.
Separate permits have been obtained for the ONKALO underground research facility. A building permit from the municipality of Eurajoki has been obtained for the ONKALO facility and the building above ground serving the facility. The municipal building committee granted the permit on 12 August 2003. The building permit is valid for five years. Posiva applied for an extended permit in May 2008.
A separate permit is required for the transportation of spent nuclear fuel during the operation of a disposal facility, and the permits required for the transportation of nuclear materials and nuclear wastes are issued by STUK separately for the transportation of each fuel consignment. Transportation may not begin until STUK has stated that the transportation equipment, the transportation arrangements and all safety and emergency arrangements meet the corresponding requirements, and that the nuclear liability in the event of nuclear damage has been properly covered.
