Successful IAEA ARTEMIS Mission Concluded In Sweden

An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) mission said that Sweden has a comprehensive, robust and well-functioning system for safely managing radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power plants and commended the country’s development of a concept for spent fuel disposal.

The Integrated Review Service for Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management, Decommissioning and Remediation (ARTEMIS) team, made by eight experts from Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the United States of America and three IAEA staff members, concluded the eleven-day mission to Sweden on 27 April.

The IAEA team praised the country’s efforts towards establishing a deep geological facility, and recognized the way in which Sweden has developed and implemented the KBS-3 concept for spent fuel disposal as a good practice.

The mission advised Sweden to improve its national policies and strategies for non-nuclear radioactive waste that originates, for example, from industrial uses, research, or medical applications.

ARTEMIS missions provide independent expert advice from teams of international specialists convened by the IAEA. They cover all aspects and topics related to the management of radioactive waste and spent fuel, decommissioning as well as remediation. Reviews are based on the IAEA Safety Standards, technical guidance and international good practices.

The mission also aimed to support the country in meeting European Union (EU) obligations that require an independent review of national frameworks and programmes for managing radioactive waste and spent fuel.

Read the full IAEA Press Release.

Sweden produces more than 30% of its electricity from its six nuclear reactors operating in Forsmark, Oskarshamn and Ringhals.

Radioactive waste primarily originates from the operation of these nuclear power plants but also from medical and research institutions and industry and consumer products such as smoke detectors. There is also an amount of radioactive waste from past activities which is stored pending disposal.

On 27th January 2022, the Swedish Government approved the project proposed by SKB to build a final repository for spent nuclear fuel in Forsmark and an encapsulation plant in Oskarshamn.