Thermal loading studies are presented for short vertical emplacement, application of cooling enhancement, and drift ventilation. Two 25-m-long heat pipes upward oriented at 45 deg are installed at each emplacement borehole to promote heat transport into the pillar area. In addition, ventilation of the emplacement drifts is assumed for a 2- to 20-yr period. It is concluded that the maximum borehole temperature can be reduced from 230 to 136°C using only the heat pipes, and to 110°C applying the heat pipes together with moderate air cooling. The ventilation alone without heat pipes can reduce the temperature to only ∼200°C. It is also demonstrated that the heat transferred from the container area to farther distances into the pillar raises rock temperatures significantly, by 10 to 20°C, and the increase in temperature remains noticeable for at least 1000yr. In addition, because of the more efficient heat distribution caused by the heat pipes, it is shown that more waste can be stored at lower temperature in the same repository area. Based on these results, it is expected that as a result of using heat pipes, lower temperatures will be achieved in the container area together with improved drying and permanent as well as temporary water removal in the pillar area.