Finland is on the verge of launching the world's first permanent nuclear waste repository.

Finland is on the verge of launching the world's first permanent nuclear waste repository.

Finland has issued a license to operate the world's first permanent storage facility for spent fuel from nuclear power plants. The company Foziva, which is responsible for the disposal of nuclear waste in Finland, announced on October 22, 2026 that this underground facility in the Urayuki region, in the southwest of the country, will start operating soon.

Permanent storage of nuclear waste is a facility designed for the permanent storage of radioactive materials resulting from the operation of nuclear power plants. In this facility, spent fuel is placed in durable tanks and buried deep in the ground, in stable rock layers. The purpose of this method is to enclose radioactive materials and prevent their release into the environment for very long periods.

Poziva's CEO, Ilka Puikulinen, described the issuance of the operating license as a "big and historic day" for the company and for Finland. However, before starting the final burial of used fuels, the company must carry out the necessary tests and inspections; These steps must be reviewed and approved by the Finnish Radio and Nuclear Organization.