Series: Who is an expert?
Nowadays there is one for every conceivable topic and field: the expert. But what exactly is an expert? Who decides whether someone is an expert or not? And who controls the experts involved in the project of the century of deep geological disposal?
We shed light on this in our three-part series. Part One: Maurus Alig provides an overview of the innumerable expert bodies.
If you were to do a push-up for every acronym you hear in Nagra’s corridors, you would be in good shape. No, even great shape. And Maurus Alig, a member of Nagra’s Executive Board would probably be the fittest of us all. Alig is responsible for liaising with the authorities and expert bodies. ENSI, EGT, NSC, AG SiKa/KES, EScht… Who is behind these acronyms and how do they work together to ensure the safety of the deep geological repository?
The expert bodies
Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI)
ENSI is the federal supervisory authority for the nuclear safety and security of Switzerland’s nuclear facilities. It also has an important say about the licence applications for the deep geological repository. ENSI reviews and assesses the safety-related aspects of the project, including, for example, Nagra’s siting proposal and the general licence application for the deep geological repository.
Expert Group on Nuclear Waste Disposal (EGT)
The EGT supports ENSI and comments on issues related to geoscience and structural engineering.
Federal Office of Topography, swisstopo
Swisstopo supports ENSI in geological matters.
Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC, German: KNS)
The NSC advises ENSI, the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) and the Federal Council on fundamental issues relating to the safety of nuclear facilities and the deep geological repository. In addition, the NSC provides an independent second opinion on ENSI’s assessments.
Working Group Safety
The Working Group Safety is one of the expert groups of the Nördlich Lägern Regional Conference. It addresses safety-relevant topics and ensures the transfer of knowledge within the regional conference. Important topics include, for example, the geological investigations or the transparency of Nagra’s siting decision.
German Expert Group on Swiss Repositories (ESchT)
In 2006, the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) established the ESchT. Among other things, this expert group is tasked with answering questions from the BMUV regarding the procedure surrounding Switzerland's deep geological repository project and providing an expert opinion on the site selection process.
Cantonal Working Group on Safety/Cantonal Expert Group on Safety (AG SiKa/KES)
On behalf of the Cantonal Commission, experts from within and outside the affected cantons deal with safety-related issues. To this end, the cantonal experts in the Cantonal Working Group on Safety (AG SiKa) work together with recognised experts in the fields of geology, tectonics, geophysics, structural engineering and safety, who form the Cantonal Expert Group on Safety (KES). AG SiKa/KES review Nagra’s documents from a safety perspective, with a focus on those issues that it considers as the highest priority.
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