Requirements on the siting areas for the surface facility
The siting area should also be easily accessible from the existing transport network (road, rail) and offer sufficient space for the surface facility and temporary installations for construction. Access to the repository by tunnel and/or shaft must be possible. All legal requirements – for example with respect to nature conservation and groundwater protection – also have to be met.
Criteria applied by Nagra
In order to identify potential siting areas, Nagra developed a criteria catalogue (see table below). Potential siting areas were evaluated based on these criteria and proposals prepared. The criteria are aimed at minimising the potential for conflict and taking advantage of site qualities. Nagra prepared its proposals based on the following overriding criteria: safety and technical (engineering) feasibility, spatial and environmental compatibility and local integration of the facility into the region.
The siting regions can also make their own proposals for siting areas as part of regional participation.
Nagra criteria catalogue
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| Primary objective | Criterion | Evaluation during preparation of the proposals for siting areas
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| Safety and technical (engineering) feasibility | Site access | Connection to a road network is absolutely essential. Preference is given to areas that also have a rail connection.
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| Location and setting of the siting area | The siting area must lie within the planning perimeter. For L/ILW, the area should be around 5 hectares (minimum width 130 m), for HLW around 8 hectares (minimum width 150 m). Siting areas that are flat or only slightly inclined with additional spatial reserves (e.g. for construction site infrastructure) will be given preference.
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| Repository access | The repository must be accessible from the siting area via an access tunnel or a shaft. Crossing groundwater protection zones and areas is not permissible. Areas where it would be necessary to cross under larger residential zones at shallow depth should also be avoided.
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| Safety | Areas in the immediate vicinity of hazard sources that could present a risk to the surface facility and cannot be controlled with reasonable effort (e.g. construction measures) are excluded.
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| Spatial (land use) and environmental compatibility | Planning law requirements | Preference is given to areas which, according to the cantonal structure plan, are already zoned for similar facilities and thus fulfil specific planning requirements. Siting areas in residential and mixed use zones are excluded. Preference is given to free areas or brownfield sites in industrial zones.
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| Surface waters | Areas in the vicinity of large surface water bodies should be avoided.
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| Groundwater | Groundwater protection zones and areas are excluded. In areas with groundwater, preference is given to areas above smaller-scale aquifers or at the boundary of aquifers.
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| Mineral and thermal waters | Areas where the access infrastructure to the repository could have an impact on the use of mineral and thermal waters are to be avoided.
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| Nature conservation and landscape protection | Areas with habitats with protected status have to be avoided. Nature reserves of national and cantonal significance are excluded.
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| Local integration into the region | Present-day use | Areas with potential conflicts with existing buildings and installations are avoided. Areas with site-specific special crops (e.g. vineyards) are excluded. Also excluded are areas where it would be necessary to remove an important connecting road or rail section.
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Integration with urban development and landscape
| Preference is given to areas that are distant from population centres and are poorly visible.
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| Recreation | Areas outside important recreational areas are considered favourable.
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| Overdevelopment | Areas that would encourage overdevelopment are considered unfavourable.
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| Landscape | Areas with high landscape quality are considered unfavourable.
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