The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) in Canada could by September begin preparing to drill test boreholes in one of two locations still in contention to house a geologic repository for spent fuel from the nation’s nuclear power plants.
At least two boreholes will be drilled in South Bruce, in southern Ontario, as part of the site characterization process, according to NWMO spokesman Bradley Hammond. Each will be drilled down to 900 meters below ground, with drilling and testing taking up to six months. Rock samples collected from the boreholes are analyzed to glean data on the geologic properties of the area.
Site preparation involves selecting the drilling locations, archeological studies, surveying the selected site, preparing access from the roadway, and deploying the drilling rigs and other necessary infrastructure.
Drilling in South Bruce will be conducted by Geofirma Engineering Ltd., of Ottawa. The terms of the company’s contract are not being released.
Along will the boreholes, the NWMO plans geophysical evaluations, environmental monitoring, and other field work later this year.
All the work will be conducted with safety measures to prevent any spread through the workforce of COVID-19, Hammond said.
The nonprofit Nuclear Waste Management Organization, established in 2002 by Canadian nuclear utilities, has for a decade been winnowing down the number of candidate sites for the repository to hold an anticipated 5.2 million bundles of radioactive used fuel assemblies.
Selection is down to two sites: South Bruce and Ignace in northern Ontario. A final decision is scheduled for 2023, followed by a decade of construction and 40 years of waste emplacement.
