Overview of LILW Disposal Facility Project in Slovenia

Abstract

Abstract The project of low and intermediate level waste (LILW) disposal facility in Slovenia started with the siting process in a year 2004. After field investigation and based on experts’ criteria the site Vrbina in municipality Krško was selected. The disposal concept in a near-surface silo was approved by the government decree within the state spatial plan in a year 2009. The final design of the disposal facility was prepared in 2015. Next step was to prepare the Environmental impact assessment report and a Preliminary safety report. In a year 2019 the Preliminary consent from Slovenian nuclear safety administration was issued. In the process of an environmental assessment public hearings were held in Slovenia as well as in interested neighboring countries. The project got environmental consent in the year 2021. This was a major milestone in getting the construction license for the disposal facility. Several iterations of safety assessment were done; the last one in years 2018–2019, which was used as an input for Safety report for the construction. Early in year 2022 the Slovenian nuclear safety administration issued a consent for a construction which was the second major milestone towards construction license. The project of LILW disposal facility in Slovenia got the construction license for a nuclear facility in a year 2022. The construction license for the infrastructure was issued early in the year 2023.