Underground Research laboratory of Meuse/Haute-Marne

The underground research laboratory of Meuse/Haute-Marne (LSMHM), or laboratory of Bore-hole , is a underground Research laboratory with 500 meters of depth located on the territory of the commune of Bure (Meuse) in France. It is exploited by the National agency for the management of the radioactive waste (Andra).

In France, the reference solution for the final evacuation of the radioactive waste of high activity and with long life is storage in a geological formation deep of weak permeability. The performances of Sûreté in the long run of such a center of storage are dependant on the characteristics of the rock host. Mudstones (mixture of Clay and quartz) of the Callovo - Oxfordien (time of the Jurassic ) has a priori favorable physicochemical characteristics. The object of the underground research laboratory of Meuse/Haute-Marne east thus the study of the layer of mudstone located at approximately 500 m of depth in the east of the Paris basin, in order to determine if its characteristics are coherent with the objectives of safety of a center of storage established within the zone of transposition.

History

Context

See also: underground Research laboratory: History, Loi Battles

The implementation of the underground research laboratory of Meuse/Haute-Marne fits within the framework of French research on the management of the radioactive waste of high activity and average activity into long life.

In France, the first research on the Stockage of the radioactive waste in deep geological layer is undertaken by the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (ECA) in the years 1960. The concept of underground laboratory is introduced with the beginning of the year 1980 by an work group on becoming to it worn nuclear fuel and the management of the radioactive waste. Andra, then an entity within the ECA, is charged to undertake work of geological recognition to find a site likely to accommodate such a laboratory. At the end of the years 1980, this work of recognition is blocked by a strong opposition, which leads to the suspension of work and with the law Bataille.

Law of 1991

Law 91-1381 of December 30th, 1991 known as law Bataille organizes research on the management of the radioactive waste in three axes: separation/Transmutation, geological storage and the storage of long life. Research on geological storage is entrusted to Andra, arranges made independent of the ECA by this same law and which is in particular charged:

Law 91-1381 defines the conditions of installation and operating of the underground laboratories in articles 6 to 12. It fixes obligations of local Concertation before any work of recognition: The deputy Christian Bataille, rapporteur of the law, is named mediator by stopped on December 17th, 1992. Lastly, the law envisages the constitution of a grouping of public interest (GIP) charged to implement the accompanying measures economic at the establishment of each laboratory.

Search for sites

Various sites considered

Following law 91-1381, two geological formations (Clay and Granite) are considered for the major storage of radioactive waste. The law thus envisages the construction of several research laboratories in order to studied these various geological formations.

In October and November 1993, the general advices of Haute-Marne and the Meuse vote the official candidature of their department for the establishment of a laboratory. Many other departments make application forms. The process of dialog, carried out by Christian Bataille, finishes with the handing-over of a report/ratio to the government on December 21st, 1993. On the basis of this process, four sites are retained by the government: the Haute-Marne, the Meuse, the Vienna and the Gard.

In 1994, work of geological recognition is undertaken by Andra on the four identified sectors and results in retaining three sites: Bore-hole (argillaceous site at the border enters the Meuse and Haute-Marne), Marcoule (argillaceous site close to Bagnols-sur-Cèze in Gard) and the Vault-Stick (granitic site in Vienna). This same year, of the demonstrations are organized by the collectives against the hiding of the radioactive waste (with Chaumont for example).

September 23rd, 1995 is created the Association of the elected officials meusiens and haut-marnais opposite with the establishment of the " laboratoire" for the hiding of the nuclear waste and favorable to a sustainable development (AEMHM - Association law of 1901). Its object is in particular “ to gather the elected officials meusiens and high marnais for purposes to allow a collective expression of the opposition to the project of laboratory and to prevent by all the legal, legal and democratic means any hiding of nuclear waste in some place that it is ”.

The government authorizes Andra on May 15th, 1996 to deposit three Files of Authorization of Establishment and Exploitation of underground laboratory (DAIE) within the meaning of decree 93-940 of July 16th, 1993. This is done on July 2nd, 1996 for the site of the East (indicating the site of Bore-hole) where the public survey takes place from March 3rd, 1997 to May 17th, 1997. The results of the public surveys carried out in the three sites are published in a report/ratio of the Direction of Safety of Nuclear installations (DSIN) with the Minister for town and country planning and environment and with the Secretary of State to industry dated December 1st, 1997. For the site of the East, the conclusions are favorable (see below).

Public survey
The board of inquiry gave an favorable opinion, with reserves concerning the reversibility of a possible storage, the need for preserving the memory of the site, and the wish to continue research in the three axes envisaged by the law of December 30th, 1991.

Consultation of the communities
The Champagne-Ardenne district council decided favorably with the project, that of Lorraine défavorablement.
The two general advices decided in favor of the laboratory, while declaring themselves opposed to storage. About the whole of the consulted communes, only three came to a conclusion in discredit of the project; the favorable communes ask to be associated with the follow-up, and wish that the three axes of the law of December 30th, 1991 be continued parallèlement.

administrative Conference
The consulted services emitted observations on the impact on water, the safety of the people and the environmental insertion of the project. Ultimately, the opinion of the services was unanimously favorable.

Opinion of the prefect
The prefect of the Meuse gave an favorable opinion, as well as the also consulted prefect of Haute-Marne.

For the three sites, the public surveys are concluded by positive opinions, the very large majority of the communities concerned expressing their agreement with the projects. The argillaceous site of Gard is not retained because it presents a geological formation of comparable nature but less favorable than that of Bore-hole. There exists also a strong opposition on behalf of the vine growers of Gard to the establishment of an underground research laboratory. Following the remarks of the DSIN on the hydrogeologic performances of the granite of the site of Vienna, this one is not retained either.

August 3rd, 1999 appears the decree authorizing the National agency for the management of the radioactive waste to install and exploit on the territory of the commune of Bore-hole (Meuse) an underground laboratory intended to study the major geological formations where could be stored radioactive waste. The Local committee of information and follow-up (CLIS) of the laboratory of Meuse/Haute-Marne is installed on November 15th, 1999.

On the site of Bore-hole, local and national organizations continue to be opposed to the research laboratory and the project of geological storage, qualified hiding. These oppositions join sometimes the more general framework of the opposition to nuclear energy. The National coordination of the collectives against the hiding of the radioactive waste (CNCEDR) coordinates the whole of the collectives opposed to geological storage and organizes regularly actions (demonstrations, festivals,…) against the laboratory.

Construction of the laboratory

The construction of the laboratory begins in January 2000 with installation from the site and the buildings on the surface. Andra is Owner building of the construction of the laboratory whose realization is entrusted to the Grouping Fund Is (GFE), a Groupement d'Interet Economique (GIE) of companies whose agent and the principal speaker are the company Bouygues Travaux Public. Following the stop of the minings in France (mines of coal and Fer), the mining techniques are not implemented any more regularly, which leads to a lack of experience.

In parallel of the construction of the laboratory, Andra describes options of design and safety for a center of major storage and develops the methodological approach which will make it possible to take into account the results of the experiments. These elements are gathered in File 2001 that the French government wishes to see subjected to an international evaluation. The Agency of OECD for nuclear energy then organizes a review by pars (or peer review) of which the report/ratio on August 29th, 2003 is produced.

May 15th, 2002 occurs a fatal accident which causes the stoppage of the works of digging of the wells during nearly one year. June 20th, 2002, following a quotation made by the Factory inspectorate, the Court of Bankruptcy of Bar-le-Duc, pronounces the dead halt on a purely conservatory basis of work of sinking of the well of access and the auxiliary well. The GFE and Andra must re-examine the material and the methods on the building site (reinforcement of the role of the workmen, intervention of a mining expert South-African, revision of the design of the platform of sinking). The resumption of work intervenes in April 2003 with a first shooting on April 30th, 2003. The immobilization of the building site created a delay in the planning of the scientific experiments. In order to have sufficient elements to return the file in 2005, Andra reinforces its programme of drillings in the sector of Bore-hole and experiments in underground laboratories out of France.

February 22nd, 2004, the opponents at the laboratory create an association called free Bure zone (BZL) . This association acquires a house in the middle of the village of Bore-hole in an old farm which, in 2007, is in the course of restoration. This house is managed within a real civil society (SCI) whose Réseau to leave the nuclear power holds 40% of the shares.

In 2004, the sinking of the well of principal access stops to allow the roadway drivage of experimentation -445 m which finishes on November 26th, 2004. During a few months, the gallery is at the disposal of the scientists who install experiments there: drillings, instrumentation, etc the whole of the sensors is connected to a system of data acquisition which makes it possible to follow measurements remotely. Thereafter, the sinking of the wells begins again, then the horizontal roadway drivage.

Law of 2006

Preparation of the law

In January and February 2005, OPECST leads public hearings on the three research orientations on the management of the radioactive waste. The deputies Christian Bataille and Claude Birraux writes on behalf of the OPECST a report/ratio on the progress report and the prospects for research on the management of the radioactive waste which east gave to the French Parliament on March 16th, 2005. A first parliamentary debate on the subject takes place on April 13rd, 2005 with the Sénat after a question of Henri Revol.

On the laboratory, on December 15th, 2005, the faces of roadway drivage from the two wells meet for the ceremony of the Sainte Beard, owner of the minors.

December 20th, 2005, Andra gives to the government the final version of its file 2005 which synthesizes the fifteen years of research since the law of 1991. This research is based in particular on the scientific program implemented at the underground laboratory. Work of Andra is the evaluation object many. The relevance of the scientific program with respect to the objective of demonstration of the feasibility of storage in the layer of clay of Callovo-Oxfordien is evaluated, at the request of the Local committee of information and follow-up of the laboratory, by the Institute for research on energy and environment (IEER). The file 2005 is evaluated in France by the National Commission of evaluation, the nuclear Autorité of safety and by the Institut of protection against radiation and nuclear safety. It is also subjected to a review by pars within the framework of the Agency of OECD for nuclear energy.

Following the handing-over of the file 2005 of Andra and similar files given by ECA on the two other research orientations (separation/transmutation and storage of long life), a Public debate is animated by the National Commission of the public debate from September 12th, 2005 to January 13rd, 2006.

In parallel of the public debate, a petition is signed by more than 55000 voters out of the two departments of the Haute-Marne and the Meuse during the years 2005 and 2006. It asks for the organization of a local referendum whose question would be “Are you for the construction of a center of hiding of nuclear waste with Bure? ”.

On the laboratory, Pierre Forbes takes the direction of the site in the place of Jack-Pierre Piguet on March 1st, 2006, whereas the roadway drivage finishes on April 27th, 2006 with the second junction between the wells. During May 2006, the head-frame of sinking of the auxiliary well is dismounted to be replaced by the final equipment which integrates an elevator able to take along 14 people directly to the bottom (before, the end of the descent was carried out by a scale).

François Loos, deputy secretary with Industry, presents a bill on the radioactive waste and inventory management at the time of the Council of Ministers of March 22nd, 2006. The examination of this bill starts with the National Assembly on April 6th, 2006. The petition for the organization of a local referendum is submitted to the general advice of Haute-Marne (approximately 30000 signatories in the department) on May 26th, 2006. The Senate modifies the text after emergency declaration and the whole of the bill is adopted on June 15th, 2006 with the National Assembly.

The law and its consequences

Law 2006-739 of program relating to the durable management of the matters and radioactive waste of June 28th, 2006 concluded these fifteen years from research. It fixes a calendar for the introduction in 2025, subject to authorization, of a reversible center of storage in deep geological layer (article 3, subparagraph 2°). It conditions the request for authorization of creation of such a center of storage so that the geological layer must have been the subject of studies by means of an underground laboratory (article 12).

The National coordination of the collectives against the hiding of the radioactive waste organizes the second edition of the festival Décibels against the dustbin from July 28th to 30th 2006 to protest against the hiding. The festival gathers more than 1000 festival.

December 23rd, 2006 appears the decree extending the authorization granted to the National agency for the management of the radioactive waste to install and exploit an underground laboratory on the territory of the commune of Bore-hole (Meuse)

Exploitation of the laboratory

The end of underground work in load of the Grouping Fund Is mark the assumption of responsibility of the whole of the installations by Andra. The exploitation of the laboratory (in particular the operation of the wells and other equipment and the Maintenance) is, as from 2007, of the responsibility for Andra. Whereas the experiments continue, the second phase of work is in preparation.

Andra organizes its studies and research within a development plan of project HAVL. Among the various programs and activities of the project, the program of experiments and tests of demonstration at the Laboratory structure and plan the tasks to be carried out on the site of Bore-hole. Andra also prepares certification very large instrument of research (TGI) for the laboratory in order to open it with the other fields of research.

Structure

The whole of the laboratory (surface installations and galleries underground) is organized around the two wells.

Surface installations

On the surface, these two wells are capped turns which shelter the equipment of lifting and ventilation (the Chevalement S of Fonçage were removed in 2006-2007). The other surface installations, which extend on 17 [[hectare ha]], include/understand buildings, workshops for the building site and the experiments (in particular a carothèque), pour them for the storage of spoil as well as traditional installations of the industrial facilities (basin of storm for example). The building of reception of the public located at the entry of the laboratory has a Toit vegetalized.

Well

Geometry and equipment

The diameter of the principal well is of approximately 5 m while that of the auxiliary well is from 3 to 5 Mr. the depth of the wells is approximately 500 Mr. the bouniou (left the well located under the receipt, deeper than the level of the galleries) ensures stock plug of spoil resulting from the roadway drivage before their reassembly in the cuffat (bucket of big size for the spoil removal even the transport of materials in the well).

Method of digging

The first meters of the well are dug with the Pelleteuse. Thereafter, the digging is carried out with the explosive by Tir softened (or smooth blasting): the bottom of the well is drilled, of the explosives are invested in these holes, then the explosion is started.

During the digging of the first 40 meters corresponding to the mineshaft, only a rather light gantry is necessary. In parallel of the digging, the structure of the building of the well for the period of sinking from 40 to 500 m is assembled. The teams install then the mobile floor of sinking, structure accommodating the unit of the equipment necessary to the digging. The head-frame, structure (turn) of approximately 35 m height, accommodates the headgear of well, in particular the pulleys (the winches are off-set on the ground). The digging is regularly stopped by the scientists to carry out geological liftings (studies of the rock) with advance.

Underground galleries

Structure

In underground, a niche of 40 m long experimentation on the level -445 m allowed the first measures to the layer of clay. Many drillings were carried out starting from this niche. On the level -490 m, a network of galleries of 485 m, which will be wide at the end of 2007, accommodates the scientific and technological experiments.

Before the extension post-2006, the experiments are localized in the network of galleries out of H connected to the gallery of connection is. The fragment parallel with the gallery of connection east accommodates experiment KEY as well as measurements of convergences. The gallery perpendicular to the gallery of connection is and located more at the south the majority of the scientific experiments accommodates.

Method of digging

The galleries are dug by a hydraulic rock-breaker, large power pick assembled at the end of a hinged jib. Energy is provided by an electric cable which makes it possible to avoid smoke or the risk sets fire to inherent in a thermal engine machine. The digging is carried out in section divided (the high part of the gallery is dug and supported before digging the low part) with a total excavated section of approximately 17 m2 into horseshoe. Supporting with the face (the gallery is progressively reinforced to it digging to ensure the protection of the personnel) is ensured by bolts (metal stems several meters length inserted in the walls or the ground) anchoring distributed and of the shotcrete, supplemented by clotheshangers (metal arches fixed at the under-surface of the gallery to take again the efforts of the ground). Pickling (spoil removal) is ensured by a charger on electric tire.

Geology

Cartography of the sector of Bore-hole

The Geological map of the sector of Bore-hole was established in several stages, implementing various techniques of recognition.

The preliminary recognition (1994) carried out by Cartographie of ground was based on data resulting from Forage S and Sismique pre oil existing. Its continuation, new drillings made it possible to characterize in-depth layers and to supplement a model 3D.

One second phase of cartography was carried out as from 2000 according to several approaches. The morphology of the ground was established by topographic analysis (air photography, Model digital of ground), supplemented by a search for direct indices of faults on the ground, a microtectonic analysis systematic and a fine lithostratigraphic study. In parallel, the charts in Isohypse S were carried out. These studies made it possible to gather the indices relative to structural anomalies possible.

In 2002 and 2003, the whole of the cartographic data of surface (in particular characteristics of the Faille S) was confronted with the seismic data, which made it possible to consolidate the structural model of the sector of Bore-hole.

New drillings are envisaged after 2006 to specify modeling and in particular a major drilling of almost 2000 m in 2008.

Geological context

The site of Meuse/Haute-Marne is established in the East of the Paris basin made of an alternation of layers Sédiment surfaces Calcaire S, marly and Argile use a thickness of several hundreds of meters and with the weak Pendage (about 1 to 1,5 degree towards the North-West). The infrastructures of surface of the laboratory are built on grounds limestones of Barrois dating from the Jurassic while the wells cross various limestones layers, marly and argillaceous to lead to the horizontal underground galleries dug in a layer of Argilite S dating from the Callovo - Oxfordien a thickness of more than one hundred meters:

with the comprehension of the Geology of the area and its history, like to the possibility of envisaging some to become it;
with the regularity of the argillaceous layer in the zone of transposition.

Analyzes of pore water

Characteristics (composition, pH, etc) of the water contained in the interstices of the rock are analyzed uninterrupted. With this intention, of drillings are carried out starting from the galleries to -490 m and of the spectrometers infra-red Raman and analyzes water or the gases extracted from waste of high activity at the time of storage would be of 200 [[Watt W]] (already produced parcels known as C0) to 500 W even 700 W by parcel (waste resulting from the reprocessing of the worn combustible current and future). Within the framework of the demonstration of safety of Andra, the temperature of the rock must remain lower than 90°C (70°C for waste of average activity) in order to limit the mineralogical transformations. Also, of the experiments are led to study the response of the rock to a heating. With this intention, an electrical resistance is inserted in a drilling and the evolution of the characteristics (pore water pressure and temperature in particular) of the rock is measured.

Economic elements

Cost and financing

The cost of construction of the laboratory is evaluated by Andra to 95.5 million euros (estimate except risk of the total costs of construction of the Laboratory between 1999 and 2006). Andra is owner and manager of the ground on which the laboratory is located, ground which makes party of a batch of 95 [[hectare]] S acquired in 1996 per 2.2 frank million . The operation costs and of experiments are estimated at 16 million euros per annum. All in all, of 1992 to 2006,375 million euros were necessary for the construction and the operation of the laboratory. The overall costs of the feasibility studies undertaken by Andra between 1992 and 2006, including the laboratory of Meuse/Haute-Marne, rise to 973 million euros: Recognition on the 3 sites (1994-1998): 110 M€; Scientific studies, of engineering and evaluations of safety (1992-2006): 455 M€; Studies on the granite (1999-2006) 33 M€.

The Financing of research on the management of waste of high activity and with long life, therefore in particular of the underground laboratory, is ensured by the producers of waste under the terms of the Principe pollutant-payer. Between 1999 and 2006, this financing was carried out through a multiannual Convention between the Andra, EDF, Cogema and ECA. The law of June 28th, 2006 institutes within Andra: This evolution of the way of financing was recommended by the Court of Auditors like by the mission of control of the State at Andra in seen to ensure the latter a greater independence with respect to the producers of waste.

Employment

The laboratory of Meuse/Haute-Marne gets approximately 350 employment (in January 2006):

Personal Andra (control of work construction and scientific piloting): 40 people
Personnel of the Grouping Funds Is (control of work construction of the underground works): 250 people
Personal related to the daily operation of the site (guarding, maintenance, maintenance): 40 people
Providing scientists (average according to phases of activities): 20 people. The law is supplemented by decree 92-1366 of December 29th, 1992 which specifies the modes of enforcement. For the laboratory of Meuse/Haute-Marne, that resulted in the creation of the groupings of public interest (or GIP) “Objective Meuse” and “Haute-Marne”. The Convention constitutive of the GIP Objectif Meuse was approved by decree on May 25th, 2000, approval renewed by decree on May 9th, 2007. That of the GIP Haute-Marne was approved on August 16th, 2000, approval renewed by decree on May 9th, 2007 with a modification by decree of June 29th, 2007. These conventions take again the missions envisaged by the law of December 30th, 1991: support for the Sustainable development, the reinforcement of the scientific potential local, industrial development and economic and protection and the valorization of the Environment from the point of view of insertion of the laboratory. The GIP also have charges the financing with it with the Local committee of information and follow-up with the laboratory on specific appropriations paid by the State for this purpose.

Constitutive conventions are supplemented by multiannual charter S of development. The charter of the GIP Objectif Meuse is organized around 4 priority axes: to promote economic development and employment (axis 1), to support the local development, organized around the inter-commune structures and of the country in emergence (axis 2), to structure departmental space (axis 3) and to support the tourist development and the notoriety of the department (axis 4). The GIP Haute-Marne is directed more particularly towards the following actions: to support the economic activity, to prepare the use of tomorrow, to decompartmentalize the places of activity and the basins of life, to develop tourism and the notoriety of the department, to improve the framework of life and the utility services and finally to accompany the program colleges. The financing of the GIP is also revised within the framework of the law of June 28th, 2006. They profit from part of the product of additional the fees known as " of accompagnement" and " of diffusion technologique" with the tax on the basic nuclear installations. The global amount of this economic accompaniment is doubled to 20 million euros per department, that is to say 40 million euros per annum on the whole.

Within the framework of the high level Committee installed in 2005, the producers of radioactive waste Areva, ECA and EDF engaged beyond the action of GIP around local economic development (access of the local companies to the invitations to tender of the three industrialists, support for the economic projects) and of the energy development (support for the projects of the private individuals or the public corporations for the Maîtrise of energy, valorization of the die biomass).

Dialog and communication

Dialog

The dialog begins in 1993 with the mission from mediation from Christian Bataille which leads to the favorable votes of the General advices of the Meuse and Haute-Marne for the candidature of these departments for the establishment of a laboratory. Thereafter the Local instance of Dialog and Information (ILCI) charged is instituted to structure the dialog before the establishment of an underground laboratory.

Nevertheless, as of this time, the population emitted the regret not to be consulted for these decisions, nor even as a preliminary informed.

The law of December 30th, 1991 envisages in its article the 14 introduction of a local committee of information and follow-up (CLIS) on the site of each underground laboratory which ensures the Recipients an access to the relative informations to the underground laboratory and research on management of the Radioactive waste. The CLIS of the laboratory of Bore-hole is instituted by order of the prefect of November 5th, 1999 and is installed on November 15th, 1999.

The operating process of the CLIS was modified by law 2006-739 of June 28th, 2006. In particular, the president of the CLIS is named by joint decision of the presidents of the general advices of the departments on which the perimeter extends from the laboratory whereas it was named before by the prefect.

Communication

The laboratory leads several operations of Communication. The building of reception of the public accommodates permanent presentations and temporary exhibitions. The laboratory received the label Meuse Accueil by the Departmental committee of tourism of the Meuse the 23 but 2006.

Free guided visits are organized for the general public, school and student ones. The laboratory accommodated more than 7000 visitors in 2006. More half of the visitors is resulting from Meuse or Haute-Marne. Each year, one day “open doors” mobilizes the personnel of the laboratory to accommodate from 400 to 1500 visitors. Other more specific visits are intended to the industrialists, to scientists, to journalists, elected and official.

A quarterly newspaper is published: life of the Laboratory . Other publications are published by Andra and provisions. The AEMHM judges that the documentary abundance of Andra bound for the public school ones “concerns an alarming informative domination” and denounces in 2002 a quasi-monopoly of the institutional communication towards this public.

In addition, within the framework of its studies and research, Andra builds demonstrators of parcel of storage and means of handling. Also, Andra projects to establish near the underground laboratory a center of presentation of these demonstrators in order to facilitate the comprehension of the project by the general public. This center could thus accommodate materials such robot pusher of parcel of waste of high activity with shoes Céramique, prototype on air cushions or rings of Bentonite (natural material, the bentonite is a clay which inflates when it is hydrated)

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