In the Annotated Glossary of Key Terms of the Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC), “transparency” is defined as an important way to achieve confidence and trust. This applies for a repository project, even if there are accepted technical solutions and societal confidence. Stakeholder confidence is never established once and for all, it has to be earned continuously.[1]
A deep geological repository is a complex project. Siting, licensing and implementation of a repository will take decades to accomplish.
After a long siting phase in Sweden, a site in the municipality of Östhammar was chosen for a geological repository for spent nuclear fuel in 2009. The licensing phase for the repository started in March 2011. Openness and transparency was clearly regulated in the siting and licensing phases. In January 2022, the Swedish government decided to approve the final repository for spent nuclear fuel. After the government's approval, the opportunities for stakeholder participation are more limited. Fewer actors are involved and the possibilties to secure funding are restricted.
In May 2011, after the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) submitted applications to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) and to the Environmental Court to build the final repository in Forsmark, a FSC national workshop was held in Östhammar.[2] It is now time to have another FSC national workshop in Sweden, as one of the first countries in the world to move towards construction and operation of a deep geological repository.
The first day of the workshop will focus on the SSM where its role in the present and future dialogue will be explored, centred around two research assignments. Opportunity will also be given to continue the discussion of openness and transparency from the previous workshop in 2011, and how those pillars in building stakeholder trust change when moving into the next phase. The second day will focus on the municipality of Östhammar, exploring challenges and needs today and in the foreseeable future and how these can be met and by whom.
[1] Stakeholder Confidence in Radioactive Waste Management. An Annotated Glossary of Key Terms – 2022 Update. Chapter 14. Transparency.
[2] Actual Implementation of a Spent Nuclear Fuel Repository in Sweden: Seizing Opportunities. Synthesis of the FSC National Workshop and Community Visit Östhammar, Sweden 4-6 May 2011.
The workshop objective is to increase the understanding of general questions such as:
The workshop objectives can also include increasing the understanding of some more specific topics when it comes to what the participation could be about. For example:
In the workshop the FSC members will learn from Sweden´s advanced programme, which can be useful even in earlier phases of other programmes. The FSC members and other stakeholders will also give external reflections that the Swedish process can benefit from.
The anticipated audience of this workshop includes:
* Participants may choose to attend only one day, depending on their individual circumstances
Day 1 (Solna)
Day 2 (Östhammar)
Solna strandväg 96, 171 54 Solna, Sweden
Klockstapelsgatan 2, 742 32 Östhammar, Sweden
Please refer to the “Logistics Note” in the download section of this page for more information.
Taehee KIM