Nagra’s Tiefenlager Project Overcomes Initial Obstacle

The Future of Nuclear Waste Disposal: A Milestone Achieved in Zurich

The planned deep repository for radioactive waste in the Zurich lowlands has cleared a significant hurdle. However, the ultimate decision on this generational project will likely rest with the people.

The Challenge of Radioactive Waste Disposal

The National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra) has spent sixteen years exploring the underground, conducting over 200 million francs worth of drilling and analyzing rock samples to ensure the safe containment of radioactive waste from nuclear power plants for a million years. On Tuesday, they submitted a permit request for the deep repository for radioactive waste and a packaging facility for fuel elements.

Achieving a Milestone

Roman Mayer, Deputy Director of the Federal Office of Energy (BfE), expressed his delight at reaching this milestone, calling it a significant step towards the establishment of a deep repository during a press conference in Bern.

Storage at 900 Meters Depth

The chosen site for the repository is located north of Lägern in the canton of Zurich. The surface facility leading to the repository will be built in Haberstal, Stadel. This combined storage facility will house both high- and low- to medium-level radioactive waste at a depth of around 900 meters in a 100-meter-thick layer of Opalinuston. This clay rock is highly impermeable to water and capable of retaining radioactive substances. The packaging facility for spent fuel elements will be constructed in Würenlingen, Aargau, where they are currently stored.

Despite the progress made towards the deep repository, not everyone shares the same enthusiasm. The Greens of the Canton of Zurich called for the shutdown of all nuclear power plants before the construction of a deep repository. They argue that a comprehensive plan for transitioning away from nuclear energy should accompany the planning of the repository.

Some critics, including SP National Councillor Martina Munz and Zurich GLP Cantonal Councillor Karin Joss, have announced their intention to launch a referendum against the repository. They advocate for exploring alternative technologies like transmutation, which involves recycling uranium instead of burying waste in the ground for millennia.

Expert Insights

Nagra CEO Matthias Braun rebuts these criticisms, emphasizing the need for a deep repository regardless of technological advancements. He welcomes a referendum on the repository, citing the importance of direct democratic approval for a project of this magnitude.

Regulatory bodies such as the Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (Ensi) and the Federal Commission for Nuclear Safety (KNS) will review the permit applications to ensure the long-term safety of the repository and the rationale behind Nagra’s site selection.

Construction Timeline

Authorities will begin their work in the spring of 2025, verifying the submission of all required documents before the Federal Council makes a decision by the end of the decade based on expert assessments. Construction of the repository is slated to commence no earlier than 2045.

Key Considerations

Nagra confirms that lifting the current ban on building new nuclear reactors in Switzerland would exceed the deep repository’s capacity for additional radioactive waste. The maximum storage capacity is 100,000 cubic meters for low- and medium-level waste and 2,500 cubic meters for high-level waste, equivalent to the waste produced by operating four reactors for 60 years, with a safety margin. If the need for additional storage arises, a new approval process would be required.