Construction and real estate service provider Implenia has entered an 'early contractor involvement' contract with SKB to construct the first underground section of a deep repository for radioactive waste in Sweden.

Located near the Forsmark nuclear power plant in Eastern Sweden, the project encompasses the planning, design, and construction of various underground structures.

It includes the development of an access tunnel to the first storage level, three vertical shafts for ventilation and an elevator, a central area, and main and transport tunnels. These structures will be situated at depths of up to 500m.

The initial planning phase is slated to begin in late 2025, with subsequent design and construction phases leading to project completion by 2033.

Implenia states that the contract's value extends into several hundred million Swiss francs.

Implenia civil engineering division head Erwin Scherer said: "We are very proud to have been awarded this important contract and would like to thank SKB for the trust they have placed in us. The project requires a great deal of geological and technical tunnelling expertise and precision.”

“Winning this contract is testimony to our many years of expertise in the planning and execution of large, multidisciplinary infrastructure projects, including our specialisation in tunnel and energy infrastructure."

SKB CEO Stefan Engdahl said: "Building the deep repository is an important step in our mission to safely dispose of radioactive waste. We are pleased to have signed a collaboration agreement with Implenia, as Implenia possesses solid expertise and experience in rock excavation and infrastructure projects."

This new contract follows Implenia's recent €200m ($226.9m) agreement for a section of the Nordmainische S-Bahn in Frankfurt, Germany, awarded by Deutsche Bahn division DB InfraGO.