Sweden has begun building an underground storage site that will keep nuclear waste safe for 100,000 years. The Forsmark facility, 150 kilometres north of Stockholm, solves one of nuclear power’s oldest problems: what to do with radioactive waste that remains dangerous for millennia.
Deep Storage in Copper and Clay
Engineers designed a three-layer system to contain 12,000 tonnes of radioactive waste. Workers will seal the material in 5-metre copper containers, wrap them in clay, and place them in tunnels 500 metres underground. The 60-kilometre network of passages sits within rock formed 1.9 billion years ago. This bedrock provides a natural shield, while the copper and clay create additional barriers against radiation leaks.
The World Nuclear Association reports that cooling ponds near reactors now hold most of the world’s 300,000 tonnes of spent fuel. These temporary solutions have worked so far, but they need constant monitoring and maintenance. Sweden’s new method puts this waste far from the surface, using natural and man-made barriers to stop radiation from reaching groundwater or the surface.
Safety Concerns
A Swedish environmental group called MKG wants more testing before the project moves ahead. Their appeal cites studies from Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology showing the copper containers might break down over time. Linda Birkedal, who leads MKG, says they should take ten years to check safety measures, given the waste must stay contained for 100,000 years.
The safety debate touches on broader questions about long-term nuclear waste storage. While engineers can test materials and run computer models, no one can fully predict how storage systems will behave over tens of thousands of years. The Forsmark design uses multiple backup systems to guard against failure.
Building Timeline and Cost
The nuclear industry will pay 12 billion krona (£1.74 billion) for the project. The site will open in the late 2030s and work will end around 2080. While it can store all waste from Sweden’s current plants, it lacks room for waste from ten new reactors planned by 2045.
This timeline shows both the scale of the project and its limits. Building deep geological storage takes decades, but nuclear waste production continues. Sweden must already plan for additional storage space even as it builds this facility.
Second Such Site Worldwide
Finland leads this field with its Onkalo facility, starting work in 2026. The Finnish site also uses the deep geological storage method, placing waste in copper containers surrounded by clay.
Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari says the Swedish project backs the country’s move toward clean energy. Both projects could guide other countries as they plan their own nuclear waste storage.
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