Posiva expertise impressively on display in Phoenix
Posiva with its commercial subsidiary Posiva Solutions (PSOY) is showcasing their expertise at the most important international event on nuclear waste management currently ongoing in Phoenix Arizona, the United States of America. Posiva’s team of five professionals will play a key role in many of the events during the week-long Waste Management Symposia 2026 Conference.
There are panel discussions and presentations with topics ranging from the safety of final disposal to decision-making processes and from reaching public acceptance to long-term responsibility towards future generations. In these discussions, Finland and Posiva are increasingly often used as a benchmarks and examples for other countries.
That is quite a showcase of Finnish expertise, with about 3,000 sector experts, representatives of authorities, scientists, and decision-makers from all over the world in attendance. All in all, about 30 people are present from different Finnish organisations. The scope and visibility of the Finnish team reflect the international reputation Finland and Posiva have earned at the cutting edge of the field.
The Conference was launched on Monday with the keynote speech delivered by Posiva’s President and CEO Ilkka Poikolainen. Poikolainen together with Linda Kumpula from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland highlighted the Finnish program in the plenary session, where leaders of administration and the global industry discussed topical and future challenges for the nuclear waste sector.
- Final disposal is not about waste, but about accepting responsibility to the very end. And we have the solution, Poikolainen recapped.
Finland is the Featured Country of the Conference
This year, the event, organised for the 52nd time, carries a special significance for Posiva and for Finland as a country. Finland is the Featured Country of the Conference and Posiva plays a key role in the contents of the event. This is a recognition for the long-term efforts carried out in Finland, and in Olkiluoto, over more than four decades to advance the development of final disposal.
Posiva representatives also had more opportunities to present their case on Monday as the Finnish success story was elaborated to the Conference attendees from many different viewpoints.
Johanna Hansen and Barbara Pastina moderated a panel discussion ”Featured Country - Spent Nuclear Fuel Repository Soon In Operation In Finland - A Success Story”, where Ilkka Poikolainen took part among other Finnish stakeholders. Sanna Mustonen was a rapporteur of the panel.
In another panel, Annukka Laitonen from Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) provided information on the effective and economical solution for low and intermediate level waste in Finland. In the third panel Laitonen and Hansen discussed innovations and advanced technologies in waste management.
Monday evening was wrapped up at the Finnish pavilion in the spirit of networking.
Finland shares unique experience
WM2026 gives the attendees a unique opportunity to share experiences, knowledge, and visions of how the complex and long process can be successfully brought to completion. Such knowledge is available and can be purchased from PSOY.
On Tuesday, Posiva’s team was represented by Barbara Pastina in a panel focusing on long-term safety and by Johanna Hansen in the US DOE’s panel where the topic of discussion was “Research and Development needs evolution in various phases of a DGR project”.
Active dinner every evening
On Wednesday, the topics covered are not included on the agenda but brought up during the first two days or expected to be highlighted in the near future.
Every evening the Posiva & PSOY representatives participate in dinners with WMOs from different countries, who are the Clients of PSOY.
On Thursday, Sanna Mustonen will take part in the panel organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which will descend underground, focusing on geology, in particular.
Johanna Hansen, on the other hand, will be speaking about the international approach to the management of radioactive waste, while Suvi-Tuulia Kukko speaks about nuclear waste communication, the engagement of stakeholders and the local community, public acceptance and positive socio-economic impacts of Posiva's project.
Text: Pasi Tuohimaa
Photos: WM2026 participants