International Dimension

This chapter only describes the most recent aspects since publication of the Board’s report n° 4. It does not take account of the impact of the accident at Fukushima, given that currently the exact impact of the accident is not yet known, and will only concern the waste management programmes indirectly.

Three countries are scheduled to open a deep geological disposal facility for long-lived high-level radioactive waste in 2025: Finland, France and Sweden. In Sweden, SKB submitted a planning permission application in March 2011. Sweden is the first country to reach this stage.

The success of the projects in these three countries could provide a useful example. It would show that rational management of radioactive waste is possible.

Conversely, in the USA, the Yucca Mountain project has been stopped and the President has appointed a commission, the "Blue Ribbon Commission", to recommend long-term solutions for the management of the country’s irradiated fuel and radioactive waste. No tangible projects are expected in the foreseeable future.

The Board takes a favourable view of the international dimension of much of the research done by Andra and the CEA. It particularly appreciates the importance accorded to this dimension at the hearings.

During this evaluation exercise, one hearing with the CEA was devoted to the international scene and the nuclear cycles chosen by the various main nuclear countries, as well as the related R&D.