Second drill site in Bözberg under construction

The drill site is located in the community of Bözberg to the north-west of Oberbözberg between the “Winterhalde” and “Tschupphalde”. Construction began yesterday at the site where the drilling rig and the containers will eventually be located. Before the work was begun, the road was marked to raise awareness of pedestrians, thereby improving their safety on the hiking trails that run along the edge of the drill site. In a first step, an excavator removes the humus. Following this, the drill site and the rig cellar are built. Actual drilling is expected to begin in autumn 2020.

At the drill site, the guidelines of the Federal Office of Public Health must be complied with and, if necessary, additional sanitary measures will be taken, such as wearing protective masks.

Planned use of electric drilling rig

To minimise noise pollution, an electric drilling rig will be used. Whenever possible, noisier work will be conducted during the day. Once drilling begins, an information centre and tours of the drill site will be available to the public as an opportunity to engage in dialogue.

The Bözberg 2 borehole is the second borehole in the Jura Ost siting region. Nagra is conducting deep borehole investigations in all three potential siting regions. The boreholes will complete the overall geological picture of the siting regions. The resulting scientific basis will underpin the selection of the safest site for a repository. The boreholes investigate the thickness, tightness and composition of the Opalinus Clay host rock in which the repository will eventually be constructed.