OPG’s Deep Geologic Repository for Low and Intermediate Level Waste CNSC Briefing Meeting - Introduction Mark Jensen Manager Geoscience L&ILW Deep Geologic Repository 8 December 2008 managing nuclear waste safely and responsibly Presentation Overview • DGR Geoscientific Program Background • DGR Facilities Engineering - Overview/Update • DGR Geosynthesis (Phase 1) - Regional Geology - Regional Hydrogeochemistry - Regional Geomechanics - Hydrogeologic Modelling • DGR Site Charaterisation Activities - Phase 1 Program (2006-2008) - Phase 2 Program (2008-2010) • Questions Nuclear Waste Management Deep Geologic Repository Concept Surface Infrastructure Key Features • Depth of 680 m in low permeability limestone • Capped by 200 m of shale Typical Emplacement Room 3 Nuclear Waste Management DGR Geoscience Program - At a Glance Site Characterisation Lead Contractor - Intera Engineering Limited Team - Geoscience services (12)/Universities (7)/Site Logistics (1) Schedule Phase I - Summer 2008 (DGR 1-2 Vertical) Phase IIa - Spring 2009 (DGR 3-4 Vertical) Phase IIb - Summer 2010 (DGR 5-6 Inclined) Geosynthesis Lead Contractor - Gartner Lee Limited Team - Specialist/Universities (4)/Peer Review Schedule Phase I - Geosynthesis (Fall 2008) - DGR 1/2 Phase IIab - Geosynthesis (Summer 2010) - DGR 3/4/5/6 Geoscience Review Group Andreas Gautschi (Nagra; Geosynthesis) Jacques Delay (Andra; Site Characterisation) Derek Martin (UofA; Geomechanics) Joe Pearson (Specialist; Geochemistry) 4 Nuclear Waste Management Geosynthesis Work Program – Phase 1 Geosynthesis Phase I Documents (7) • Phase 1 Geosynthesis • Phase 1 Regional Geology • Phase 1 Regional Hydrogeochemistry • Phase 1 Regional Geomechanics • Phase 1 Hydrogeologic Modelling • Long-term Climate Change • Long-term Cavern Stability • Purpose - an interim assessment • State of geoscience knowledge reviews • Regional ‘informed’ by site-specific study • Integrated regional understanding • Multiple lines of reasoning approach • External peer review • Completed under Project Quality Plan Nuclear Waste Management DGR Site Charaterisation – Bruce site Field Studies • Deep borehole drilling/instrumentation (4 sites) • coring/logging/preservation • opportunistic groundwater sampling • borehole geophysics • in-situ hydraulic straddle packer testing • long-term borehole monitoring – instrumentation • 2-Dimensional seismic reflection survey • Shallow bedrock wells US-series (3 installed) • Micro-seismic monitoring borehole seismometer network Laboratory Studies • Groundwater/pore fluid chemistry characterisation • Effective/pore water diffusion coefficients • Core Petrophysics • Hydrocarbon characterisation • Geomechanical properties Nuclear Waste Management OPG’s Deep Geologic Repository for Low and Intermediate Level Waste CNSC Briefing Meeting Frank King Director, Repository Development & Safety 8 December 2008 managing nuclear waste safely and responsibly Presentation Outline Topics: DGR Project Site • Design Changes & Status • Description of L&ILW • Location & Depth • Layout & Design • Construction • Operation • Path Forward Nuclear Waste Management OPG’s Nuclear Waste – LLW • Includes contaminated clothing, rags, plastic, mops, tools, paper, etc. • Low activity • 5,000-6,000 m3 generated per year • Compaction/incineration 3 • 2,000-3,000 m stored per year 3 • Currently 60,000 m in storage 3 Nuclear Waste Management OPG’s Nuclear Waste – ILW • Includes contaminated resins, filters, reactor core components, etc. • Higher activity, longer lived 3 • 200 m generated per year 3 • Currently 8,500 m in storage 4 Nuclear Waste Management OPG’s Western Waste Management Facility 5 Nuclear Waste Management Deep Geologic Repository Concept Surface Infrastructure Key Features • Depth of 680 m in low permeability limestone • Capped by 200 m of shale Typical Emplacement Room 6 Nuclear Waste Management DGR Surface Layout 7 Nuclear Waste Management DGR Underground Layout ● Minimizes excavation per m3 of waste ● Centralized & compact infrastructure ● “Dirty air” fully contained in metal ducts 8 Nuclear Waste Management DGR Ring Tunnel Waste Package Staging Area Refuge Station Lunch Room Waste Rock Dump 9 Nuclear Waste Management 6.5m Main Shaft Possible North Panel 4.5m Vent Shaft South Panel - Mobile Equipment East Panel - Maintenance Shop LLW ILW Typical LLW Emplacement Room Permanent Ventilation Ducts LLW Packages Resin Liner Shields 10 Nuclear Waste Management Typical ILW Emplacement Room Permanent Ventilation Ducts Resin Liner Shields 11 Nuclear Waste Management DGR Construction - Shaft Sinking ● Two sinking hoists equipped with “Galloways” ● 50,000 m3 of excavation over ~2-yr period by specialized contractor Nickel Rim Project, Sudbury 12 Nuclear Waste Management DGR Construction – Tunnels & Rooms ● Two-year construction period ● Concurrent excavation by two roadheaders ● Waste rock removal by vent shaft 13 Nuclear Waste Management DGR Waste Package Handling ● Mainly diesel-powered forklifts ● Some specialized handling equipment for “T-H-E Liners” Germany’s Konrad WIPP – 40 Tonne Hoist Sweden’s SFR WIPP – Heavy Load Forklift 14 Nuclear Waste Management DGR Shaft Seal System Concrete Cap Aquifer Isolation Seal Asphalt Water-stop Asphalt Shaft Station Monolith DGR [R3] Case 15 Nuclear Waste Management DGR Project Schedule 16 Nuclear Waste Management DGR Geosynthesis Overview Presentation to: CNSC Briefing Meeting December 8, 2008 Agenda 1. Overview of the geosynthesis approach 2. Geosynthesis component studies 3. Geosynthesis tenets 4. Geosynthesis report structure 5. Geosynthesis conclusions and main findings 1 Geosynthesis Approach Geosynthesis: What is it? A geoscientific explanation of the overall understanding of site characteristics, attributes and evolution (past and future) as they relate to demonstrating long-term DGR performance and safety. 2 Objectives of Geosynthesis Program i) to assess and reaffirm the geoscientific suitability for the proposed DGR concept; ii) to yield information to support development of a site- specific repository design/siting; iii) to provide evidence on a geoscientific basis for repository safety at timeframes of 1,000,000 years; iv) to provide a scientifically sound basis for a repository Safety Assessment; and v) to contribute to the development of an integrated repository Safety Case. 3 Phase 1 Geosynthesis Component Studies a) Phase 1 Geosynthesis – Bob Leech & Mark Jensen b) Phase 1 Regional Geology – Rob Frizzell c) Phase 1 Regional Geomechanics – Steve Usher & Tom Lam d) Phase 1 Long-term Cavern Stability – Branco Damjanac e) Phase 1 Regional Hydrogeochemistry - Monique Hobbs f) Phase 1 Hydrogeologic Modelling – Jon Sykes g) Phase 1 Long-Term Climate Change – Richard Peltier Collaboration and integration through workshops and meetings 4 Geosynthesis Geographic Scope 5 Geosynthesis Tenets a) Predictability: horizontally layered, relatively undeformed sedimentary shale and limestone formations of large lateral extent b) Multiple Natural Barriers: multiple low permeability bedrock formations enclose and overlie the DGR c) Contaminant Transport is Diffusion Dominated: deep groundwater regime is ancient showing no evidence of glacial perturbation or cross-formational flow d) Seismically Quiet: comparable to stable Canadian Shield setting e) Natural Resource Potential is Low: commercially viable oil and gas reserves are not present f) Shallow Groundwater Resources are Isolated g) Geomechanically Stable: selected DGR limestone formation will provide stable, virtually dry openings 6 Conceptual Geosphere Model 7 Geosynthesis Report Structure Phase 1 Geosynthesis 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Project Scope 3.0 Regional Geology 4.0 Regional Geomechanics 5.0 Regional Hydrogeochemistry 6.0 Hydrogeologic Modelling 7.0 Main Findings and Conclusions 8 Conclusions and Main Findings Predictable: horizontally layered, relatively undeformed sedimentary shale and limestone formations of large lateral extent: Reconstruction of the regional bedrock stratigraphy using over 300 historical oil and gas well records within a 35,000 km2 Regional Study Area (RSA) surrounding the Bruce site defines a sedimentary sequence with a near horizontally layered relatively undeformed predictable layer cake geometry Coring of Phase 1 deep boreholes DGR-1 and DGR-2 confirms that the Bruce site is underlain by 34 bedrock formations comprised of layered carbonate/shale/evaporite/sandstone units with a total thickness of about 840 m above the Precambrian crystalline basement. This stratigraphy is consistent with the RSA stratigraphic model It is confirmed that there is over 200 m of low permeability formations dominated by shale overlying the Cobourg Formation that is proposed to host the DGR 9 Conclusions and Main Findings Multiple Natural Barriers: multiple low permeability bedrock formations enclose and overlie the DGR The DGR repository horizon is under- and overlain by multiple low permeability bedrock formations of Silurian and Ordovician age. Within the deep groundwater regime there is over 200 m of low permeability shale directly overlying limestone of the host Cobourg Formation and 150 m of low permeability carbonates below The intermediate groundwater regime comprised of Silurian age sediments contains laterally extensive low permeability, carbonate, shale and anhydrite layers Observed vertical hydraulic head gradients indicate that transmissive vertical or sub-vertical faulting does not exist in the deep or intermediate groundwater regimes Evidence based on rock core retrieved during drilling and in