Buried several meters underground, between Roquefort-sur-Soulzon and La Bastide-Pradines (Aveyron), a laboratory of the Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) expanded in September, report our colleagues atActu.frThe sole purpose of this new gallery is to study the storage of radioactive waste and to analyse its evolution in an underground environment.
Originally, the Tournemire tunnel, approximately two kilometres long, was dug by hand between 1882 and 1888 to allow trains to pass through. Eighty years later, the army considered using it to extend its Larzac camp, but the project was abandoned. Finally, the IRSN obtained permission from the military to exploit the site, before becoming its owner in 1992.
A 4 million euro gallery
This tunnel is of particular interest to scientists because it crosses a layer of clay dating from the Jurassic era of the Toarcian. This installation makes it possible to study, in real conditions, the storage of radioactive waste, even if the site is not intended for this use. Nevertheless, the research carried out here contributes to a better understanding of the management of this waste in other sites, such as that of Bure, where the first radioactive burials are planned between 2035 and 2040.
This new 120-metre extension, costing 4 million euros, was financed by the Public Investment Bank. Several microtunnels will be dug to deposit fake radioactive packages, in order to study their reaction in these underground conditions. This underground research laboratory is one of four in Europe.