01 bräuer presentation washington 2016

7th US/German Workshop on Salt Repository Research, Design, and Operation


Germany`s new approach for siting a nuclear waste

repository Dr. Volkmar BräuerFederal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources

BGR, Hannover Germanywww.bgr.bund.de

Washington, DCSeptember 7-9, 2016


April 9, 2013 was a historic day:The German Federal Government and the

Federal States agreed for the first timeon a new site selection for a

nuclear waste repository in Germany!


The total disposal roadmap

• Stage 1: Site selection procedure3 phases pursuant to Site Selection Act by 2031

• Stage 2: Mining development of the site

• Stage 3: Emplacement of radioactive waste in the

repository minefrom ca. 2050 for 20-30 years

• Stage 4: Monitoring before sealing of repository mine

• Stage 5: Sealed repository mine feasible in this century


Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear

Safety (BMUB)Federal Ministry

for Economic Affairs and

Energy (BMWi)

Federal Ministry of Education and

Research (BMBF)

Federal Office for Nuclear Disposal Safety (BfE)Regulation of repositories Planning permission and approval of repositoriesSupervision of repositories responsible for authorisations

National Monitoring Committee

Research institutes

New organisational structure

Federal Organisation for Nuclear Disposal (BGE)Project developer Private legal form – 100% public sector Independent of public budgetsImplements site search, construction, operation and decommissioning of repositories

State authorities

National Parliament (Bundestag)

Repository CommissionRecommendations available since 5.7.2016Clarified fundamental issues, checked alternatives, elaborated criteria, concept for a repository, safety specifications, methodology for safety investigations

BGR

BGR

BGR


The total disposal roadmap

• Stage 1: Site selection procedure3 phases pursuant to Site Selection Act by 2031

• Stage 2: Mining development of the site

• Stage 3: Emplacement of radioactive waste in the

repository minefrom ca. 2050 for 20-30 years

• Stage 4: Monitoring before sealing of repository mine

• Stage 5: Sealed repository mine feasible in this century


New Site Selection Act (StandAG)Time schedule (Stage 1)

Repository Commission (ended in 2016)

Phase 1: Exclusion of regions and comparative analysis Definition of sites for surface exploration

Phase 2: Surface exploration by end 2023 Definition of sites for underground exploration

Phase 3: Underground exploration and Environmental Impact Assessment by 2031

Site comparison and final site selection


Repository Commission “Storage of high-level radioactive waste”34 members:8 (representatives of Bundesländer (German states), 8 (members of the Bundestag)

8 (scientists), 8 (representatives of civil society), 1+1 (Chairperson) (groundwork done by: scientific institutions such as BGR)

General Objectives:Analyse and assess fundamental issues, elaborate criteria and recommendations, evaluate alternatives for final disposal, reporting on a consensus basis, min. 2/3 majority

Repository Commission (1)


Working basis: GEOLOGY = safety for long periods of time

- with the best possible safety for the storage

of high-level radioactive waste in particular

- ensuring the best possible safety for a period

of one million years

- assessing the host rocks – rock salt, claystone

and crystalline rocks in a scientifically based,

neutral selection procedure based on a “blank map” of Germany



1. The commission submitted recommendations to the Bundestag, Bundesrat and the German government on July 5th 2016

2. German Bundestag evaluates, and if necessary, redetermines the Site Selection Act on the basis of the report

3. Final decision expected in 2017


Time schedule


Commission findings (1)

GEOLOGY = Safety for long periods of time

- Storage in deep geological formations

- “Best possible site” in a neutral procedure

- Criteria are the key guides for the procedure

- Additional research necessary, e.g. for containers

- Repository mine with retrievability/recovery is a new concept

- Self-critical system (reversibility of decisions, e.g. to correct errors)

General ObjectiveDefine site region and then a site which demonstrates the best possible safety to isolate the waste for a time period of one million years


Criteria:1. Exclusion criteriae.g. volcanic activity

2. Minimum requirementse.g. depth of effective isolating rock zone 3. Weighing criteriae.g. no or only slow transport by groundwater at the level of the repository

Geoscientific CriteriaCommission findings (2)


Geologicalsearch areas

Phase 1: Step 1 1. Exclusion criteria geoscientific

Target: Identification of geological search areas

Stage 1

Large-scale vertical

movements

Active fault zones

Mining activity

Seismic activity

Volcanic activity

Groundwater age


Aquifer

Host rock

Repository area

Isolation rock zone (IRZ)

2. Minimum requirements geoscientific

100 m

300 m

salt: ³ 2,3 km² (100 °C)claystone: ³ 6,6 km²granite: ³ 3.6 km²

Phase 1: Step 1

Host rock = Barrier rock

Stage 1

Rock permeability: < 10-10 m/sMinimum thickness: 100 m (crystalline rock can be less)Minimum depth: 300 m and as deep as possible Erosion or decompaction in case of claystone, in case of salt + 300 m salt layer above IRZMinimum area for realisation:Salt: 200 °C: 1.3 km²; 100 °C: 2.3 km²Claystone: 100 °C: 6.6 km²Granite: 100 °C: 3.6 km²Integrity of IRZ maintained for 1 million years


Permeability measurements by BGR in claystone in Mont Terri (Switzerland)

Criteria in practise: Permeability

Data on this criterion are available for various host rocks. Attention is given here to where and how the criterion was determined.

Permeability (k) Rock salt Opalinus Clay

Granite (unfractured)

Laboratory: k < 10-21 m2 k < 10-19 m2 ca.10-20 m2

In-situ:

"undisturbed" rock k < 10-20 m2 k < 10-19 m2 k < 10-18 m2

Excavation disturbed zone

k < 10-14 m2 k < 10-16 m2

to 10-13 m2k < 10-15 m2

Data source: BGR


Geoscientific weighing

partial areas

Selection of partial areas with particularly favourable geological conditions

3. Weighing criteriageoscientific

Phase 1: Step 2

Groups of criteria: 1: Quality of ability to isolate and

reliability of evidence

2: Verifying isolation capacity

3: Other safety relevant properties

Data from BGR and Services ofFederal States (Länder)

Stage 1


Identification and selection of site regions for exploration from the surface

Site regions

Phase 1: Step 3Stage 1

Regional data from BGR and Federal States (Länder)

Geoscientific weighing criteriaRepresentative preliminary safety investigationsPlanning scientific weighing criteria

3. Weighing criteriaGeoscientific and planning scientific


Planning scientific criteria

competing uses or conflicts of interest which relate differently to • surface (shaft or ramp) and• underground

Competing interests need to be taken into consideration!Therefore, no minimum requirements and exclusion criteria. • Weighing group 1 (surface planning aspects): Protection of people and

human health

• Weighing group 2 (surface and underground planning aspects): Protection of unique natural and cultural heritage from irreversible damage

• Weighing group 3 (surface and underground planning aspects): other competing uses and infrastructure


Planungswissenschaftliche Abwägungskriterien

Geowissenschaftliche Abwägungskriterien

Repräsentative vorläufige Sicherheitsuntersuchungen

Sites

Phase 2:

Raumdaten BGR und LänderDetermining sites for underground exploration

Stage 1

Surface explorationProceedings, criteria,

assessments

Geoscientific criteria

Further-developed preliminary safety investigations

Socio-economic potential analyses


Determine site

Phase 3

Stage 1

Underground exploration

Repositorysite

Proceedings, criteria, assessments

Geoscientific criteria

Site-specific test criteria (= exclusion criteria)still to be definedand exploration programmes

Comprehensive preliminary safety investigations, comparative safety investigations


Requirements for research and technological development

The commission is of the opinion that research on repositories in Germany has a good foundation, and provides a good basis for redefining the focus of research activities in the years to come.Gaps in knowledge that could hinder the new selection process should be closed, for instance:

• Three host rock types with appropriate repository concepts,• Container development,• Safety and verification concepts,• Setting up arrangements to correct errors, including retrieval of the casks during

the operating phase and recovery of the casks after closure,• Safety-related verification for containers and inventories for a longer period of

interim storage,• Accompanying research on participation and acceptance in a democratic

constitutional state,• Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches for cooperation of technical and

non-technical disciplines with societal players.


Conclusions

There is no ideal host rock!Claystones, rock salt and crystalline rocks are being investigated internationally as potential host rocks.The crucial aspect is a favourable overall geological setting.

The geological conditions in Germany are well studied, the host rocks rock salt, claystone and crystalline rocks are regionally present.

Good exploration methods are available.

Research results on the characterisation of host rocks in international cooperation projects are necessary

The search for a site in Germany can begin!


Thank you!

01 bräuer presentation washington 2016

Technology