Work to extend a facility that serves as the final repository for short-lived radioactive waste in Sweden began with a blast 45 metres below ground.
The blast marked the start of the six-year extension project. SFR, which has been in operation since the late 1980s, is now being extended to receive decommissioning waste from Sweden’s nuclear power plants.
SFR, located in Forsmark, serves as the final repository for short-lived radioactive waste such as filters, tools and clothing used in the Swedish nuclear power plants, as well as materials from medical care, industry and research.
When the extension of SFR is complete, the facility will also accommodate waste from the decommissioning and dismantling of the Swedish nuclear power plants. This will include reactor components, concrete and other building materials.
Rock construction work got under way in December 2024, and ate last month the official launch of blasting took place together with Skanska, which is delivering the extension project in collaboration with SKB.
Stefan Engdahl, chief executive of SKB, said: “It feels really good that we’ve now started rock excavation in Forsmark. The extension of SFR is an important precondition for fossil-free electricity production at the nuclear power plants, now and in the future.”
Magnus Persson, chief executive of Skanska Sweden, added: “That Skanska is involved in contributing to societal development with this truly unique project is a prestigious honour. We have a close collaboration with SKB, and this project is a great example of how successful things can be when we share expertise, experiences, and knowledge with one another.”
Main image: Magnus Persson, chief executive of Skanska Sweden, with Stefan Endahl, CEO of SKB. Credit: Frida Karlsson
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