A visualisation of the completed repository
The project scope includes the planning, design, and construction of key underground infrastructure at depths of up to 500 metres. This will involve the creation of an access tunnel to the first storage level, three vertical shafts for ventilation and elevator access, a central operating area, and both main and transport tunnels. The planning phase is set to begin later in 2025, with construction expected to conclude by 2033.
Before rock excavation begins, Implenia will establish workshops, outbuildings, and other essential infrastructure on-site. The company brings substantial experience in tunnelling and complex infrastructure projects, aligning well with SKB’s technical and safety standards.
SKB CEO Stefan Engdahl stated: “The construction of the Spent Fuel Repository is an important step in our mission to dispose of the radioactive waste safely. We are happy to have signed a collaboration agreement with Implenia, as they possess solid expertise and experience in rock excavation and infrastructure projects.”
Jiri Englén, CEO of Implenia Sweden, added: “We're very proud to have been awarded this contract. Being selected for the planning, design and construction of this facility together with SKB offers strong proof that our strategy is a timely one. We look forward to a successful collaboration with SKB, one in which we can contribute our ability to collaborate, our working methods and our technical expertise.”
The legal process for the repository project began in 2011 when SKB applied for permission to dispose of used nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. Following a main hearing in 2017, the Land and Environmental Court submitted its recommendation to the Swedish government in 2018. On 27 January 2022, the government approved the project under the Environmental Code.
In October 2023, the court granted SKB formal permission and defined the operational conditions. An enforcement order allowed construction to begin even if appealed. Initial groundwork started in January 2024, including development of water treatment facilities, a canister bridge, rock storage areas, and forest clearing. Full-scale tunnelling will commence once SKB secures an approved safety report from the Radiation Safety Authority.
The repository will be developed over several decades, with operations beginning after the initial ten-year construction phase. A similar geological repository is under development in Olkiluoto, Finland, where a construction licence was granted in 2015 and work began in 2016. Posiva has applied for an operating licence valid through 2070.
