On 3 January 2012, ESS AB submitted the first part of its application for construction of the ESS research facility (European Spallation Source) in Lund. It is estimated that the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority will need around two years to review the application.
On 3 January, ESS AB submitted the first part of its application for construction of the European Spallation Source (ESS) in Lund. The company expects to supplement its application in March 2012.
“The application that we have now received is far from complete, but it means that the Authority can begin the review that we estimate will take a couple of years,” says Carl-Göran Stålnacke, an inspector at the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority.
The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority will examine whether the research facility fulfils requirements under the Radiation Protection Act and the Authority’s regulations, as well as licence conditions that may need to be imposed.
This work takes place in stages. First of all, the Authority will conduct a comprehensive review of the application concerning activities involving radiation, where its approval implies that ESS is permitted to install the equipment that will generate ionising radiation. ESS will subsequently also need the Authority’s approval before the facility may begin test operation, regular operation and eventually decommissioning.
Facts
The ESS research facility intends to construct a huge neutron source that can be used as an enormous microscope for molecular structures. This will make it possible to study materials in their smallest components and is consequently useful in diverse fields such as medicine, biology, chemistry, physics and engineering.
For more information, please contact: Carl-Göran Stålnacke, inspector, Tel. +46 8 799 43 76.