COMMISSION OPINION

of 28 July 2010

relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Olkiluoto EPR reactor (unit 3), located in Finland, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty

(Only the Finnish and Swedish texts are authentic)

2010/C 211/01

On 12 February 2010, the European Commission received from the Finnish Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Olkiluoto EPR reactor (unit 3).

On the basis of these data and the complementary information provided by Finnish Government representatives at the meeting of the Group of Experts on 14 and 15 April 2010, the experts have drawn up the following opinion:

1.

The distance between the power station and the nearest point of another Member State is 200 km for Sweden and 250 km for Estonia.

2.

Under normal operating conditions, the discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents will not cause an exposure liable to affect the health of the population in another Member State.

3.

Spent fuel elements will provisionally be stored on site, pending the availability of a deep geological repository on the Finnish territory.

Solid radioactive waste will be stored on site, in storage and disposal facilities that are authorised by the Finnish Government.

Non-radioactive solid waste or residual materials which are released from regulatory control will be released for disposal as conventional waste or for reuse or recycling, in compliance with the criteria laid down in the Basic Safety Standards (Directive 96/29/Euratom).

4.

In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents, which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the doses likely to be received by the population in another Member State will not be liable to affect the health of the population.

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that, both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the EPR reactor (unit 3) on the site of the Olkiluoto nuclear power station in Finland, is not liable to result in the radioactive contamination of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.

Done at Brussels, 28 July 2010.

For the Commission

Günther OETTINGER

Member of the Commission