In the Annotated Glossary of Key Terms of the Forum on Stakeholder Confidence (FSC), “transparency” is defined as an important way to achieve confidence and trust. This applies for a repository project, even if there are accepted technical solutions and societal confidence. Stakeholder confidence is never established once and for all, it has to be earned continuously.[1]

A deep geological repository is a complex project. Siting, licensing and implementation of a repository will take decades to accomplish.

After a long siting phase in Sweden, a site in the municipality of Östhammar was chosen for a geological repository for spent nuclear fuel in 2009. The licensing phase for the repository started in March 2011. Openness and transparency was clearly regulated in the siting and licensing phases. In January 2022, the Swedish government decided to approve the final repository for spent nuclear fuel. After the government's approval, the opportunities for stakeholder participation are more limited. Fewer actors are involved and the possibilties to secure funding are restricted. 

In May 2011, after the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) submitted applications to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) and to the Environmental Court to build the final repository in Forsmark, a FSC national workshop was held in Östhammar.[2] It is now time to have another FSC national workshop in Sweden, as one of the first countries in the world to move towards construction and operation of a deep geological repository. 

The first day of the workshop will focus on the SSM where its role in the present and future dialogue will be explored, centred around two research assignments. Opportunity will also be given to continue the discussion of openness and transparency from the previous workshop in 2011, and how those pillars in building stakeholder trust change when moving into the next phase. The second day will focus on the municipality of Östhammar, exploring challenges and needs today and in the foreseeable future and how these can be met and by whom. 

[1] Stakeholder Confidence in Radioactive Waste Management. An Annotated Glossary of Key Terms – 2022 Update. Chapter 14. Transparency.

[2] Actual Implementation of a Spent Nuclear Fuel Repository in Sweden: Seizing Opportunities. Synthesis of the FSC National Workshop and Community Visit Östhammar, Sweden 4-6 May 2011.

The workshop objective is to increase the understanding of general questions such as:

• How open and/or transparent can the process after an approval of a deep geological repository be?
• Why is participation important in the implementation phase and what role can external actors play?
• Whom should the participation involve? (Including younger generations).
• What information do different actors need to have? How can this be met and by whom?
• How can continued stakeholder involvement be financed?

The workshop objectives can also include increasing the understanding of some more specific topics when it comes to what the participation could be about. For example:

• Preservation of information and knowledge as a national and local concern

In the workshop the FSC members will learn from Sweden´s advanced programme, which can be useful even in earlier phases of other programmes. The FSC members and other stakeholders will also give external reflections that the Swedish process can benefit from.

The anticipated audience of this workshop includes:

• FSC members – including youth involvement in radioactive waste management;
• Social science researchers from Sweden and abroad;
• Stakeholders from other countries;
• Implementers, regulators, local communities, regional actors, representatives from the younger generation and other national and international stakeholders.

• This event will take place in-person over the course of two days.
• This workshop will consist of presentations, round table discussions and Q&A sessions.
• A part of the workshop will include the local community in the municipality of Östhammar (including representatives of the younger generation).

* Participants may choose to attend only one day, depending on their individual circumstances

Day 1 (Solna)

• Session 1: Workshop opening
• Session 2: Characteristics of a trusted regulator in the perspective of handling nuclear waste
• Session 3: Research project - INCLUDE
• Round table discussion: How to include stakeholder participation in the future steps?
• Session 4: Research project - To what extent do present generations need to address post-closure costs?
• Round table discussion: What about post-closure?
• Session 5: Reporting from Land and Environment Court

Day 2 (Östhammar)

• Session 6: The local context
• Session 7: The international context
• Session 8: Future challenges
• Round table discussion: Break-out session featuring discussions on a set of questions related to the issues raised during the day
• Summary from round table discussions and closing remarks

Registration

• Registration should be made online by 30 August 2024:
  REGISTER HERE
• Participants will be met upon arrival by NEA staff to finalise their registration and obtain visitor badges (on 23 September 2024, from 8am at the SSM).
• Badges are to be worn when attending all sessions and events.
• A passport or another form of photo identification is required to obtain a visitor badge.
• Please note that hybrid access will not be provided, in-person attendance is mandatory to participate in the workshop

Location

• Day 1: Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM)

            Solna strandväg 96, 171 54 Solna, Sweden

• Day 2: Kulturhuset Storbrunn

            Klockstapelsgatan 2, 742 32 Östhammar, Sweden

Working language

• The language of the workshop will be English

Logistics

• Location: The workshop will take place at the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority (SSM) on 23 September 2024, and at Kulturhuset Storbrunn, Klockstapelsgatan 2, 742 32 Östhammar, Sweden on 24 September 2024.
• Coming to Solna (transport): The nearest large airport is “Arlanda Airport”. Solna can be reached by Arlanda express (From Arlanda Airport to Stockholm C, about 20 minutes), and Subway (T10, station Solna strand, about 10 minutes from Stockholm C).
• Staying in Solna (accommodation): Special accommodation prices will be offered at the Freys Hotel in Central Stockholm to participants (limited availability). Otherwise the organisers suggest to stay at any hotels around Stockholm Central Station (train station) and T-Centralen Station (Metro station).
• Catering: Coffee breaks and lunch will be provided by the organisers.
• Travel between Solna and Östhammar: SSM will arrange transportation between the office in Solna and Östhammar (it will take around two hours). On the way back to Solna the bus will make a stop at Arlanda Airport at about 18:30.

Please refer to the “Logistics Note” in the download section of this page for more information.