[ad_1]
According to Nagra, these three locations are suitable for deep nuclear waste deposits
A location for a nuclear depot in Switzerland is being sought. Nagra considers the three potential areas of the cantons of Aargau, Zurich and Thurgau suitable. Nagra reached this conclusion about a year and a half after the start of deep drilling.
The results confirmed that deep and safe deposits can be built in all three areas, the National Cooperative for the Elimination of Radioactive Waste (Nagra) announced on Tuesday at a virtual media event.
Refers to the Jura Ost (Bözberg, AG), Nördlich Lägern (AG / ZH) and Zurich Northeast (ZH / TG) site areas. In these regions there is also enough space for the arrangement of a multipurpose warehouse. In such a storage facility, low, medium and high level radioactive waste would be disposed of.
According to its own information, Nagra intends to announce in 2022 the location for which it intends to submit the general license application for the repository to the federal government. The federal government is responsible for selecting the location.
Thick layer of Opalinus clay
According to Nagra, all three regions have a very dense and calm layer of Opalinus clay that is over a hundred meters thick. Opalinus clay is the clay stone on which the reservoir will one day be built. It is considered the most important safety barrier that includes long-term radioactive waste, as was also said.
However, there are differences between the three areas. For example, the Opalinus clay layer is not equally deep everywhere. The rock layers above and below the Opalinus clay would also be different.
In the Jura East region, drilling is currently being carried out at two locations in the municipality of Bözberg AG. The first well will be completed shortly and the second well by the end of the year. According to Nagra, the drilling confirmed the previous image. The Opalinus clay in Jura Ost is 120 meters thick and very dense.
The subsurface image in the northeast area of Zurich is also completed by the wells at Trüllikon ZH, Marthalen ZH and the previous Benken well. If necessary, further drilling will be carried out to clarify matters of detail.
The north of the camps is more suitable than expected
According to Nagra, the area north of Lägern is more suitable than expected from a structural point of view. Opalinus clay is very dense. A dense coral reef is said to have been drilled into the Opalinus clay. Nagra originally wanted to postpone this area due to security disadvantages. However, the Federal Council decided otherwise.
The Opalinus clay in Bülach ZH is 900 meters lower than in the other areas. Investigations have shown that the construction of a deep deposit is also feasible at this depth and therefore in this area, Tim Vietor, Head of Geology and Safety at Nagra, is quoted in a press release. (aeg / sda)
