Deep Geologic Repository Joint Review Panel DGR Joint Review Panel International Visit Report Konrad Repository ‐ Salzgitter, Germany October 22‐23, 2012 Attendees: Stella Swanson, Gunter Muecke, Jamie Archibald – Joint Review Panel Members Kelly McGee, Debra Myles – Panel Secretariat Members Dr. Ben Samwer – Konrad Project Management, Bundesamt fur Strahlenschutz (BfS)/Federal Office for Radiation Protection Dr. Peter Brennecke – BfS Contractor/Advisor Purpose: To contribute contextual understanding to the Joint Review Panel’s review of the proposed DGR project Information exchanged in advance of the visit: • Records in relation to the Konrad Repository provided to the Joint Review Panel by Dr. Brennecke (CEARIS Doc #755) • DGR Joint Review Panel information sheet provided to Dr. Samwer (Appendix 1, Page 3) Photos: Photos taken during the visit (Appendix 2, Page 6) Monday, October 22, 2012 – Salzgitter 10:00am Arrival at BfS office; introductions 10:20am Short walk to Info-Stelle Konrad; observe informational video and exhibits 11:00am Session 1 – BfS presentations to the Joint Review Panel • Geology of the Konrad Area (Appendix 3, Page 10) • Konrad Site Geology and Hydrogeology (Appendix 4, Page 47) • Safety Assessment Example: Konrad Repository (Appendix 5, Page 63) • Waste Acceptance Requirements Summary Presentation Slides (Appendix 6, Page 102) Extended Presentation Slides (Appendix 7, Page 126) 4:00pm End of meeting Konrad Visit Report Page 2 of 291 Tuesday, October 23, 2012 – Konrad Repository Site Additional Attendees: Mr. Johannes Schneider – Geologist, BfS (tour and Session II) Dr. Norman Niehues – Head, Radiation Protection, Deutsche Gesellschaft zum Bau und Betrieb von Endlagern für Abfallstoffe (DBE) (Session II) Mr. Joachim Bluth – Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Umwelt, Energie und Klimaschutz (NMU)/Lower Saxony Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (Session II) 9:20am Arrival at Konrad Repository 9:30am Safety instruction and outfitting 10:00am Descend underground; tour 12:00pm Ascend to surface; lunch 12:30pm Session II – presentations to the Joint Review Panel • Konrad Repository: Requirements on Non-Radioactive Waste Package Constituents (Appendix 8, Page 202) • Waste Acceptance Requirements for the Konrad Repository (Appendix 9, Page 217) • German Approach To Radioactive Waste (LLW, ILW) Disposal (Appendix 10, Page 235) • Managing Past Disposal Practices and New Plans - German Case (Appendix 11, Page 273) 3:30pm End of visit DECEMBER 14, 2012 – Visit Follow Up Appendix 12 (page 289): Post-Visit Letter of Thanks Thank you letter from the Joint Review Panel Members to Dr. Samwer and Dr. Brennecke Konrad Visit Report Page 3 of 291 Deep Geologic Repository Joint Review Panel DGR Joint Review Panel International Visit Report Konrad Repository ‐ Salzgitter, Germany October 22‐23, 2012 Appendix 1 DGR Joint Review Panel Information Sheet Konrad Visit Report Page 4 of 291 Deep Geologic Repository Joint Review Panel The Joint Review Panel Dr. Stella Swanson, Biologist, Panel Chair Dr. Gunter Muecke, Geologist, Panel Member Dr. James Archibald, Mining Engineer, Panel Member Debra Myles and Kelly McGee, Panel Co-Managers Michael Young, David Haddon and Robyn-Lynne Virtue, Panel Support Lucille Jamault, Communications Advisor The Joint Review Panel for the Deep Geologic Repository for Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste (DGR) project is an independent body appointed by the Government of Canada. The Panel is responsible for conducting an environmental assessment and making recommendations to the federal government on the potential environmental effects of the project. The Panel is also responsible for considering the application by the proponent, Ontario Power Generation, to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for a license to prepare the site and construct the DGR facility. The Panel members, selected on the basis of their knowledge, expertise, and absence of bias or conflict of interest, are undertaking the review in an impartial and objective manner in accordance with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the Nuclear Safety and Control Act and the DGR Joint Review Panel Agreement. About the Project The project is a proposal by Ontario Power Generation, the provincially-owned electricity generation company, to prepare a site and construct and operate a deep geologic repository for the long-term management of low and intermediate level radioactive waste from Ontario nuclear reactors. The DGR would manage about 200,000 cubic metres of low and intermediate level waste in underground emplacement rooms. Used nuclear fuel would not be stored in the DGR. The DGR would be located about 680 metres underneath the Bruce Nuclear site, near the shore of Lake Huron in the Municipality of Kincardine, Ontario. It would be constructed in low permeability limestone capped by 200 metres of low permeability shale. Ontario Power Generation proposes that these rock formations, in excess of 450 million years old, are intact, stable, predictable and have excellent isolating capabilities and no major faults or fractures. Konrad Visit Report Page 5 of 291 Deep Geologic Repository Joint Review Panel Process FEDERAL GOVERNMENT appoints Joint Review Panel JOINT REVIEW PANEL PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD analyses and requests additional on the environmental assessment information as required & licensing documents PUBLIC HEARING JOINT REVIEW PANEL submits environmental assessment report GOVERNMENT makes a decision on the Joint Review Panel environmental assessment Responsibility Proponent Responsibility Government JOINT REVIEW PANEL Responsibility makes a decision on licence to Public Participation prepare the site and construct Opportunity Konrad Visit Report Page 6 of 291 Deep Geologic Repository Joint Review Panel DGR Joint Review Panel International Visit Report Konrad Repository ‐ Salzgitter, Germany October 22‐23, 2012 Appendix 2 Photographs Konrad Visit Report Page 7 of 291 Figure 1: Konrad Information Centre, Salzgitter Figure 2: Konrad Shaft 1 Headframe Figure 3: Konrad Underground Looking Down a Drift from the Bottom of Shaft 1 Konrad Visit Report Page 8 of 291 Figure 4: Konrad Road Header Used to Excavate Figure 5: Konrad Underground Tour Figure 6: Dr. Archibald and Dr. Muecke in Konrad Refuge Station Konrad Visit Report Page 9 of 291 Figure 7: Waiting for the Lift to the Surface at Konrad Figure 8: Panel Members Muecke, Swanson and Archibald at end of tour of Konrad Konrad Visit Report Page 10 of 291 Deep Geologic Repository Joint Review Panel DGR Joint Review Panel International Visit Report Konrad Repository ‐ Salzgitter, Germany October 22‐23, 2012 Appendix 3 Geology of the Konrad Area Konrad Visit Report Page 11 of 291 Methodologies for Geological Disposal Fundamentals of Geological Disposal in Sedimentary Environments Geology of the Konrad area Nicole Schubarth-Engelschall Federal Office for Radiation Protection IAEA Network of Centres of Excellence Konrad Visit Report Page 12 of 291 Content Surface-based and underground geological site characterisation programme (techniques and results) Background & History Aims of suitability and geological investigations Phases of geological investigation • Phase I: 1976 – 1982 • Phase II: 1983 – 1990 Techniques and aims some results, e.g. geological / stratigraphical profile, drilling log, tectonic elements, formation water, lithological properties, hydrogeological conditions Konrad Visit Report Page 13 of 291 Background and History Abandoned iron ore mine Discovery of the iron-ore-deposit on the occasion of oil exploration in 1933 First geological exploration via drilling between 1937 and 1943 Sinking of shaft 1 from 1957 to 60 and of shaft 2 from 1960 to 62 Ore extraction between 1960 and 1976 Discontinuation of ore mining in 1976 on account of reduced profitability Dry conditions in the mine Simple geological conditions Iron ore deposit / coral oolite as host rock Overlying cretacious sediments as geological barrier Konrad Visit Report Page 14 of 291 Geological Setting Geographical extension of iron ore areas after H. Kolbe (early afterH. (early Kolbe sixties) Konrad Visit Report Page 15 of 291 The Iron Ore Deposit Sedimentary oolithic iron ore (Minette – type) Fe content levels between 27% and 33% Deposit reserves had been estimated at 1.4 billion tons of oolithic iron ore 6.7 million tons had been mined when operations were shut down in 1976 (0,5% of entire deposit) Iron ore deposits do not reach the surface Lies in depth between 1150,5 m and 1184,9 m Thickness 12 m – 18 m dip 20 – 22° Konrad Visit Report Page 16 of 291 Stratigraphical profile Position of the iron ore deposit Konrad Visit Report Page 17 of 291 General aims of geological suitability and investigation program Provide evidence of meeting site specific criteria Hydrogeological isolation of radioactive waste (age of groundwater) Exclusion of connection between repository and water bearing strata No unallowable dispersion of radionuclides Seismological safety Depth beneath surface sufficient for repository Favourable rock mechanical properties and conditions Konrad Visit Report Page 18 of 291 General aims of geological suitability and investigation program Geological investigation must allow for a site specific model and meet requirements of licensing authority stratigraphical classification of all occurring layers (z – q) facial and spatial characterisation with focus on host rock and geological barrier (thickness, extension, depth of layer, bedding) petrographical,