Planning begins for Swedish encapsulation plant

Systems design and safety analysis work has begun for a planned encapsulation plant as part of Swedish waste and fuel management company Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB's plans for managing the country's radioactive waste.

Systems design and safety analysis work has begun for a planned encapsulation plant as part of Swedish waste and fuel management company Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB's (SKB) plans for managing the country's radioactive waste.

Copper capsules - like the one shown here - form an important barrier in SKB's method for the safe disposal of used nuclear fuel (Image: Curt-Robert Lindqvist/SKB)

The encapsulation plant - known as Clink - is to be built next to SKB's existing interim storage facility, Clab, at Simpevarp, which is 25 kilometres north of Oskarshamn. The two plants will be operated together as an integrated facility. Swedish nuclear regulator SSM last year expressed a positive opinion of the plans, which are now undergoing licensing reviews.

Construction of Clink, where used nuclear fuel will be encapsulated in copper capsules - could begin in the early 2020s if all SKB's permit applications are approved, SKB CEO Eva Halldén said.

SKB has now commissioned three suppliers - Babcock Noell GmbH (BNG), Sweco Industry and Vattenfall AB - to develop the system engineering and safety work for the encapsulation plant. These will form the basis for further investigations by SSM.

BNG is to work on the encapsulation process, with Sweco working on construction and technical systems, safety and security related systems and safety analysis. Vattenfall will prepare the preliminary safety report. The contracts are worth SEK400 million ($46 million) and the project will take three years.

Sweco said its contract to finalise the plant's plans, design and technical building services and safety, control and power supply systems could be worth over SEK200 million subject to SKB obtaining the necessary authorisations. The Swedish engineering design company will also create system-level requirements and solutions, a preliminary safety report, budget calculations, procurement documentation for suppliers and contractors, and detailed design.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News