Engineering giant Sweco – formerly Swedish Consultants – announced that it had been granted a $23 million contract by the country's nuclear waste management company SKB (Svensk Karnbranslehantering AB) for engineering and safety analysis reports for the future encapsulation plant in Oskarshamn, known as Clink.
The plant is a part of the interim storage facility Clab. In March, 2016, the SSM (Sweden's Radiation Safety Authority) gave preliminary approval for the facility, while not endorsing the encapsulation process directly – a process that involves encasement in copper canisters.
Sweco's contract included engineering specifications for system-level requirements and solutions, budget considerations, procurement procedures and supply chain options.
The work is to begin immediately and is expected to continue through 2020. The value of the project could grow, depending on the authorizations for licensing approvals.
SKB is currently seeking approvals for the storage processes and facilities on two fronts, seeking regulatory approval based on the Act on Nuclear Activities and for permit approvals through the Swedish Environmental Code for KBS-3.