On 19th November 2024, Nagra submitted the general licence application to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy – another important milestone for the project of the century of deep geological disposal. The media reported extensively on this.
However, several additional steps are required before Switzerland can put the deep geological repository into operation. This article outlines the road that lies ahead of us.
For the time being, the ball is in the court of the federal authorities
First, the federal authorities involved will check the documents for completeness. Around spring 2025, Nagra will then make the entire application documentation and scientific reports available to the public – three years earlier than required by law. The objective is to enable a broad debate on the deep geological repository, as the disposal of radioactive waste is not only an engineering challenge but must also gain social acceptance. submitted the general licence application to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy held on the occasion of the submission of the general licence applications.
The completeness check will be followed by an in-depth technical review by various federal authorities and an international team of experts from the submitted the general licence application to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). This phase is expected to last until 2027.
Who reviews the applications?
The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI), the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) and a team of experts from the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) are responsible for the technical review. The Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), the Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE), the siting cantons (Aargau and Zürich) and the affected regions, including Germany, are also invited to comment.
Regional and international perspectives strengthen the project
Once all expert opinions and statements have been delivered, they will be published, allowing all interested parties to express their opinions, too. The wide range of perspectives – from regional to international – will contribute to the broad debate on the deep geological repository.
It is up to the authorities to decide whether the results of Nagra’s work are technically convincing. Society will ultimately decide whether it can and wants to support the deep geological repository in Nördlich Lägern – possibly even at the ballot box. This will be the case if a referendum is called against the decision of the Federal Council. However, a referendum is not expected to take place before 2031.
Who decides?
The Federal Council, followed by the Swiss Parliament and finally, in the event of a referendum, the Swiss electorate.
According to current planning, the Federal Council’s decision on the general licences is expected towards the end of the decade. It will then be submitted to the Federal Parliament. If the Federal Council and Parliament decide in favour of the deep geological repository, a national referendum can be called for to contest this decision. In this case, the electorate would have the final say. A potential referendum would probably take place around 2031.
Haste not, rest not
A decision will not be made for another few years. Nagra wants to use this time to hone the project together with the people from the affected region. “During this review and discussion period, we will be happy to answer everyone’s questions and concerns,” said Matthias Braun at the media conference in Bern.
Once the fundamental political decision on the deep geological repository has been made, the project should proceed seamlessly – in this instance, with the construction licence application. A decision is expected at the beginning of the next decade.
Preparatory work will be carried out in advance, for example, by drilling exploratory boreholes in connection with the eventual construction of the shafts. If everything goes according to plan, repository construction will begin in around ten years. Emplacement of the first radioactive waste is foreseen from around 2050.
Nagra will take into account any future technological progress and new findings when developing the repository project. International collaboration will remain important. After all, projects in other countries are also evolving – and Switzerland can and wants to learn from them.
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