A planned nuclear fuel storage facility in Finland offered South Bruce officials a chance to see construction of a Deep Geological repository firsthand.
Members of the community, South Bruce Council, the Community Liaison Committee members (CLC) and municipal staff had the opportunity to tour the Onkalo Spent Nuclear Fuel Repository that is currently under construction.
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is considering building a nuclear fuel repository in either South Bruce, or Ignace. The Onkalo Spent Nuclear Fuel Repository is expected to begin operations in 2024, which will make it the world’s first functioning DGR.
The opportunity to see helped participants gain a better understanding of the scope and scale of a DGR, and to learn about the effects it has on the host community.
“Virtual reality doesn't do this project justice - actually standing more than 400 metres below the surface in the repository tunnels made me realize the size and scale at the actual repository depth. I found it interesting to learn about the Finnish program and the similarities/differences to the proposed NWMO project,” said Community Liaison Committee member Justin McKague.
“My recent tour of the Onkalo Spent Nuclear Fuel Repository was very educational,” said Councillor Mike Niesen. “Although there are differences in the start to end product due to reactor types and encapsulation processes, I believe we are on the right path to making an informed decision that affects future generations, using a democratic process throughout it all.”
The group visited the Encapsulation Plant and Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant. They also had a meeting with Vesa Lakaniemi, the Mayor of Eurajoki.
Funding for the trip was provided by the NWMO as outlined in the Multi-Year Funding Agreement approved by council Dec. 13, 2022. Participants will share their experiences with the community at a future CLC meeting.
