BÁTAAPÁTI
Construction of the National Radioactive Waste Repository
The program for the disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive waste from the Paks nuclear power plant started in 1993, financed by the Nuclear Financial Fund, while the current investor is the Public Limited Company for Radioactive Waste Management (PURAM).
 |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|
First phase:
Selecting the target area
In the first phase, a screening for suitable rock formations for the disposal of radioactive waste was made including the whole country. The public acceptance of the construction of such facility was assessed on the areas which were qualified as potentially suitable. Three candidate sites had been chosen in 1996, of which the Mórágy Granite Formation was selected for further underground examination based on the results of exploration drill holes, next to the village Bátaapáti.
Second phase:
Geological investigation
An intensive geological and hydrogeological investigation was performed on the selected area between 1997 and 2004 in order to clarify the geological setting and to refine preliminary site selection, contributed by Mecsekérc Ltd. as a subcontractor. Based on the report made using the results of the examinations the authority established that the site is suitable for the final disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive waste.
Third phase
Construction
According to authority approval, the underground research started in the February of 2005 to choose the final disposal site and to approach the selected area which had been explored from the surface. Mecsekérc Ltd. acted as prime contractor from the beginning of the construction to the installation of the first chamber coordinating geological research, design planning, mining and construction works
5.925 m
tunnel developed in granite,
4 large chambers are concluded
217.090 m3
extracted granite
0
serious accident
Construction of the underground storage facility
A temporary construction camp was built to support the underground works. Containers were used to erect workshops, offices, communal amenities, also infrastructural systems were built.
-
On the 8 February 2005, drifting of the declines had been started as part of underground geological exploration which was later followed by the construction of the storage chambers. The two declines were constructed with mining techniques and additional preparatory and exploratory tunnels were drifted with 21-33 m2 profile.
-
Two chambers of 80 meters length and 27 m2 profile were built in the second half of 2011.
-
Installation of the underground technology systems, construction of the track for waste package transportation, water pumping, ventilation, high and low voltage systems and security systems were done. As a result, the installation of the final storage chamber was done in the fourth quarter of 2012. Simultaneously with final waste disposal the construction of the facility proceeds.
-
The eastern 3 and 4 chambers were subsequently explored in 2015, also the access tunnel for N1 and N2 chambers was completed. These works made the overall tunnel length 5925 meters so far, which required the extraction of 217.090 cubic meters of granite.
Végleges tároló üzembe helyezése
The construction and installation of K2 storage chamber in which Mecsekérc Ltd. participates as consortia partner started in 2016, according to new technological standards.
Installation of the final disposal chamber