ARPANSA has issued a licence to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) to prepare a site for the Intermediate Level Waste Capacity Increase (ILWCI) facility.
The ILWCI facility will enable an increase in storage capacity for intermediate level solid waste.
ANSTO estimates its current intermediate level solid waste storage will reach its capacity in 2027 and the ILWCI facility extends the period by ten years, allowing continued production of nuclear medicine.
ARPANSA is responsible for licensing Commonwealth entities that use or produce radiation and applies a strict review and assessment process once a licence application is received.
‘An important consideration in granting the ILWCI siting licence was the conceptual safety and security design of the facility’, says Dr Carl-Magnus Larsson, Chief Executive Officer of ARPANSA.
‘Additional considerations were informed by advice from the Nuclear Safety Committee, input from public consultation and international best practices.’
Public consultation is an important factor in the decision-making process and a requirement at every stage of the licence application process.
‘We thank all interested parties for their contributions and engagement throughout the consultation process’, said Dr Larsson.
The siting licence approval is only the first stage of a stringent licencing process. ARPANSA expects future applications for ILWCI facility construction, operations, and decommissioning as the ANSTO project progresses.
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