STOCKHOLM, August 4. /TASS/. Finland’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) has issued a license for the operation of the world’s first underground spent nuclear fuel encapsulation and final disposal facility.

As follows from the STUK statement, the facility "meets the safety requirements set for it in the Nuclear Energy Act and Decree." "Therefore, there is no obstacle to granting the facility an operating license with regard to radiation and nuclear safety," it said.

"This is the first time in the world that the geological final disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel has progressed to the operating license phase," it stressed, adding that now the country;s government is to decide "on whether to grant the operating licence for the final disposal facility based on preparatory work by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment."

The Onkalo spent nuclear fuel repository was built by Posiva built near the Olkiluoto NPP. The facility is designed to hold up to 6,500 tons of radioactive spent nuclear fuel in special containers at a depth of 400-450 meters. The operating license is issued until 2070.