The French radioactive waste management agency, Andra, has been granted permission by the Aube department to expand the authorized capacity of the Cires very low-level radioactive waste (VLLW) disposal facility.
This expansion will be achieved without altering the facility’s existing disposal area.
Cires: A History of VLLW Disposal
Opened in Morvilliers in 2003, the Centre Industriel de Regroupement, d’Entreposage et de Stockage (Cires) was designed and authorized to receive 650,000 cubic meters of VLLW.
This waste primarily consists of weakly contaminated materials such as rubble, earth, and scrap metal, stored in three areas known as tranches 1, 2, and 3. By the end of 2022, Cires had reached 69.4% of its total authorized storage capacity.
Given the projected VLLW deliveries from waste producers in the coming years, the 46-hectare site is expected to reach full capacity around 2028-2029.
Future Waste Projections
The national inventory of radioactive materials and waste, published by Andra, predicts that between 2,100,000 and 2,300,000 cubic meters of VLLW will be produced by 2050-2060, mainly during the dismantling of currently operating nuclear facilities.
Environmental Authorization Process
In April 2023, Andra submitted an environmental authorization application to the Aube department to increase Cires’ authorized storage capacity.
The application included comprehensive documentation detailing the project’s purpose, necessary work, and implementation arrangements.
The environmental authorization procedure involved three phases: review by state services (including the Environmental Authority), consultation with the public and local authorities, and final approval by the department based on the investigating commissioner’s report and conclusions.
New Capacity Without Expansion
With the granted authorization, Cires will now be able to accommodate a total of 950,000 cubic meters of VLLW, a significant increase from the initially authorized 650,000 cubic meters. This increased capacity will be achieved without expanding the disposal area.
Continuous Improvement and Optimization
The expansion is made possible by various improvements to the disposal cells since the center’s commissioning in 2003. Initially, the cells were 80 meters long and could hold 10,000 cubic meters of waste.
Over the years, cell lengths and capacities have increased through modifications such as steeper slopes, deeper cells, and raised above-ground repository heights.
Phased Development
While tranche 1 at Cires is already filled and capped, tranche 2 is currently operational. Work on tranche 3 is scheduled to commence in April of the following year, with the tranche expected to be available for waste disposal starting in 2028.