High level of confidence and continued strong support for SKB’s facilities

Confidence in SKB is high and support for future final repositories remains strong. This is shown by Novus’ annual opinion survey in the municipalities of Oskarshamn and Östhammar.

In spring 2024, SKB commissioned the research company Novus to conduct opinion surveys in the two municipalities where SKB operates. SKB has a long tradition of conducting surveys in its host municipalities, in order to gain an understanding of how the company is perceived and how people perceive SKB’s future facilities.

The results of this year’s survey show that SKB continues to enjoy a high level of confidence in both municipalities. In Östhammar, 8 out of 10 respondents say they have high confidence in SKB as a company, and in Oskarshamn, 9 out of 10 respondents say they have high confidence in SKB.

Respondents in the municipalities are also positive when it comes to the major construction projects SKB has planned for the future. In Östhammar, where the final repository for spent nuclear fuel is to be built, 8 out of 10 say that they are in favour of this construction project. In Oskarshamn, 8 out of 10 are in favour of the encapsulation plant that is to be built there.

— The opinion survey shows that we have strong support in the municipalities where we operate, and that local residents are positive about our major projects for the future. SKB’s task is to take care of nuclear waste from Swedish nuclear power plants and thereby facilitate fossil-free electricity production. The host municipalities are absolutely crucial in this task, says Anna Porelius, Head of Communications at SKB.

A clear majority believe that SKB will have a positive impact on the municipality

The survey also asks questions about the future, and how SKB’s future operations will affect the municipality. Here, 9 out of 10 residents in both Östhammar and Oskarshamn believe that there will be a positive impact on their municipality.

Anna Porelius, Head of Communications, SKB.

Anna Porelius, Head of Communications, SKB.

— SKB will be operating in Östhammar and Oskarshamn until the 2080s, when the plan is for the final repository for spent nuclear fuel to be sealed. We’re working actively through our value-adding agreements to promote development in both municipalities and create jobs, and we try to procure locally whenever possible. So we’re proud that so many people continue to feel that SKB has a positive impact on the local community,” says Anna Porelius, Head of Communications at SKB.