Knowledge about the Final Disposal of Nuclear Fuel in Sweden: Surveys to Members of Parliament and Citizens

Jenny Palm

doi:10.3390/en13020374

Abstract

In 2011, the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) applied for a permit to construct a disposal facility. The Swedish government is expected to make a decision in 2020. Three surveys have been conducted to investigate how informed the Swedish Members of Parliament (MP) and the citizens are in these issues. The first study with the MPs was done in 2013, the second in 2016 and the one with the citizens was conducted in the winter of 2018/2019. The results show that most MPs and half of the citizens were aware of the ongoing permission process. Rather surprisingly, there were more politicians and citizens who knew about the suggestions to use copper canisters, than knew the suggested location. In general, nuclear waste was seen as an important issue by all respondents. A majority of the MPs and the citizens believed that Sweden can dispose the waste in a safe manner. Among the citizens, the trust in politicians’ decisions on where and how to build a final repository were low and more trust was put into scientists and experts. Half of the citizens wanted to see a phase out of nuclear power, over half of the MPs meant that the repository should be designed so that the withdrawal of nuclear waste can be done.

Highlights

IntroductionNuclear power has since the 1970s played an important role in the Swedish electricity mix
Nuclear power has since the 1970s played an important role in the Swedish electricity mix.Sweden’s first commercial reactor Oskarshamn 1 was put into operation in 1972
The first question in all surveys concerned if the respondent’s knew that a final repository for nuclear waste was planned in Sweden

Summary

Introduction

Nuclear power has since the 1970s played an important role in the Swedish electricity mix. Sweden’s first commercial reactor Oskarshamn 1 was put into operation in 1972. In 2019, there were 10 reactors in operation in three different nuclear power plants: Forsmark, Ringhals and Oskarshamn. The total electricity production in Sweden amounted to 160 TWh in 2017. In 2019, Sweden stored 6 500 tons of nuclear waste in deep storage pools. The estimation is that Sweden will have 12 000 tons if all existing plants are run as planned and no new ones are built. It is the Swedish nuclear industry that is responsible for finding a place and a method that entails a safe repository. The nuclear industry has formed the company Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB). The plans are subject to approval by the Swedish Government [2]

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