Status of Geologic Repository Projects in Germany Thilo v. Berlepsch WMS 2016, Phoenix March 8 th, 2016 1
Outline of Presentation Site Selection Act of 2013 Status of German Geologic Disposal Projects Asse Gorleben Konrad Morsleben 2
StandAG: Envisaged Timeline for HLW Site Selection Legal Securing of Decisions 2016 20?? 2023 2031 20?? Intermediate Process Steps 3
StandAG: Disposal Commission 33 members appointed by Parliament (quorum more then 2/3 of members) 1 chairman (not entitled to vote) / Chairmanship is split between 2 persons 16 politicians (not entitled to vote) 8 scientific representatives 2 representatives of each: unions, churches, industry and environmental groups Preparation of Site Selection Execution Preparation of Report assessing the main principle issues on disposal Preparation of proposals Remit as defined by Site selection Act Build an opinion on variants of disposal to be assessed Site selection criteria Criteria on error correction (reversibility of decisions) Requirements on organisation and approach Requirements on public involvement 4
StandAG: Disposal Commission Structure Working Groups (Arbeitsgruppe AG) AG 1: AG 2: AG 3: Ad-hoc group: Ad-hoc group: Public involvment Evaluation Selection Criteria Utility lawsuits Mission statement Learning: Hearings (status of R&D (German perspective only), judicial evaluation of StandAg (legal security, status of Gorleben, financing, definitions), international experience, AkEnd) International Visits (e. g. Switzerland, Sweden and Finland) National Visits (e. g. Repository Projects Asse and Konrad) Public Involvement Live streaming of meetings Comprehensive web page with all documents and possibility of commenting Public expert forums (e. g. Deep Boreholes, Site Selection) 5
StandAG: Disposal Commission Report Report with Commission s recommendations due June 2016: Site selection criteria Criteria on error correction (reversibility of decisions) Requirements on organisation and approach Requirements on public involvement Content: 10 Chapters (+ preamble + chapter on dissenting opinions + Appendices) 64 1 st level Sub chapters (I.I) 114 2 nd level Sub chapters (I.I.I) Drafted for public commenting: 0 preamble 8.2 Organisational set-up 1.4 Work approach 8.3.1 EIA / EC-regulation 2.1 History of nuclear energy 8.4 Development freeze 2.3 Handling of conflicts 8.5 Ban on exports 6.6 Documentation requirements 8.9.1 Radwaste and free trade agreement 8.1 Analysis of StandAG 6
Stand AG: RWM Organisation Disposal Commission* BMU Supervision & control New Proposal StandAG of Commission ESK / SSK advising BMWi Supervision & control Regulation of StandAG is in addition to existing regulation rather than a replacement Länder Ministries nuclear licensing Mining authorities mine licensing BfS Responsible for construction and operation; applicant, licensee and supervising body for LILW DBE BGE BGR Asse GmbH New Waste Management Organisation: In Third charge party for assistant Planning, Licensing, Third Construction party assistant and Operation of Disposal Facilities; Technical and Financial responsibility Konrad Gorleben ERAM BfE Licensing and supervising body * After start of site selection process the commission will be replaced by a social accompanying body 7
Radioactive Waste Classification and Disposal Routes Waste Classification following disposal requirements Heat Producing Radioactive Waste not suitable for Konrad Non-Heat Producing Radioactive Waste suitable for Konrad Reprocessing Exclusive option until 1994 SNF Exclusive option since 2005 Packaging / Conditioning Disassembling Direct Disposal All radioactive waste in Germany to be disposed of in DGR No site yet White map incl. Gorleben Morsleben preparation for closure Konrad under construction 8
Overview on German Projects Operated by Asse GmbH Asse mine used only as URL since 1978, currently under decommissioning Operated by DBE: Gorleben: Heat-generating waste, underground survey starts 1990 s, on hold Konrad: Non heat-generating waste, under construction Morsleben: Operational Waste (1980 s until 1998), planning for decommissioning BfS 9
German Projects Asse Activities Emergency planning Stabilisation of mine Ongoing backfilling of roof clefts and backfilling of cavities and staple shafts Restart of salt production for sorel cement and start of construction of concrete plant Countermeasures E.g. planning and construction of fluid barriers Fact finding for preparation of waste retrieval Fifth drilling for fact finding commenced to assess roof voids in Chamber 7 Preparation for waste retrieval Exploration drillings for recovery shaft Maintenance activities of mine 10
German Projects Gorleben Activities According to Site Selection Act Exploration activities at Gorleben are prohibited with immediate effect Preservation of mine as is until the site is until deselection at one of the defined decision points: selection of regions selection of sites for above ground exploration sites for below ground exploration final site selection Corresponding current activities Backfilling of drillings Abandoning of exploration area and as far as possible of the infrastructure area Removal of all equipment and infrastructure (e. g. cables) from abandoned areas Removal of the major part of the security system Prohibition of public and technical visits 11
German Projects Konrad 12
German Projects Konrad Activities Surface Infrastructure Connection to public infrastructure Surface Site of Konrad 1 Installation of the first of 2 new hoists Construction of workshop and offices Surface Site of Konrad 2 Quality control & permitting of transfer hall Underground Development (infrastructure, like the transfer room from shaft to drift, workshop, backfill plant and new drifts) Erection of 5 th emplacement chamber Refurbishment of shafts and shaft installations 13
German Projects Konrad 14
German Projects Morsleben New planning assumptions on the basis of the assessment of the statement and recommendations of the Commission on Waste Management (end of January 2013) Successive work on requirements will last until 2019 Especially requirements on backfill and sealing have tightened Water access to the entire mine has to be mitigated (not only to relevant parts) Currently, 1 water access to mine (12 m³/a) Construction measures to prepare sealing won t start before 2016 Plan Approval Process Start in mid 2017 Execution at least 8 years 15
German Projects Morsleben Activities Status of stored waste Extension of licence for storage of Co-60, Cs- 137, and Eu-152, Eu-154 and Eu-155 until 2020 was granted in May 2015 Closure of repository Abutment sealing element for underground full-scale test First layer of gravel and bitumen finished Other activities Above ground Refurbishment of facing of tower building Below Ground Erection of new workshop Maintenance activities 16
Thank you! 17