ESDRED Conference

ESDRED International Conference

June 16 - 18,2008 in Prague

Geological disposal of high-level and long-lived radioactive waste as well as spent nuclear fuels has been studied by various organisations, notably radioactive waste management agencies and major research organisations, for the last 30 years. The feasibility work related to geological disposal, from a scientific/technical viewpoint, has reached a very mature level and therefore this work has provided, to date, valuable input to all subsequent safety analyses. This feasibility work must now be complemented with engineering and technological developments.

This conference is a first of its kind insofar as it will provide a unique opportunity to demonstrate how the combination of operational and long term safety considerations are intimately linked to the different deep geological disposal concepts

Nature and Scope of the Project

The Integrated Project known as ESDRED is a joint research effort by 7 major national radioactive waste management agencies (or subsidiaries of agencies) and by 6 research organisations, representing nine European countries.

Activities

The overall objective of the 5 year Project is to demonstrate, (in compliance with requirements regarding operational and long term safety, retrievability and monitoring), the technical feasibility at an industrial scale of activities (see sketch here-below) such as:

- buffer construction technologies for horizontal disposal concepts (Module # 1),

- waste canister transfer and emplacement technology for horizontal and vertical disposal concepts (Module # 2),

- heavy load emplacement technology for horizontal disposal concepts (Module # 3),

- use of specific low pH cement and shotcrete techniques to build disposal cell/drift sealing plugs and/or to reinforce underground structures and linings (Module # 4 )

Expected results

The ultimate objective of the ESDRED demonstration activities is the deisgn fabrication and working demonstration of full scale first generation prototypes, whenever possible. The demonstration activities to be performed in Underground Research Laboratories (URLs) and/or in workshops will serve as a basis for the future development of operational industrial solutions (prototypes, pilots). The Conference will serve as a formum for describing to the participants, and to the public at large, the progress that has been made. Participants will see videos of radioactive waste emplacement equipment that does not exist anywhere else in the world.

To make this challenge a success, a safe, permanent and publicly acceptable solution needs to be implemented for the management of all radioactive waste. Disposal of high-level and long-lived radioactive waste and spent fuel in deep underground repositories is generally found, by international technical experts, to be the most suitable management option. ESDRED was set up to demonstrate that feasible techniques are available for the implementation of deep geological disposal thereby contributing to raising the confidence of all stakeholders, and the public at large, in the soundness of this management option.

Example of an ESDRED Result

ESDRED Project Website Address & Contacts

More information about the project and present level of results will be presented during the conference in Prague from 16^th to 18^th of June 2008. It is also possible to visit ESDRED website for more information. . The ESDRED website provides information at several levels of detail, and is therefore adapted to the various audiences, notably from short abstracts to the full description of the technical activities as described in the Contract between the European Commission and the Contractors.

Website: www.esdred.info E-mail: contact@esdred.info

More information in pdf format is available here: (Czech language), (English language)