Geological disposal progress
Milestones for deep geological programmes. Dates are those published by the programme itself.
2000
FI Onkalo — Eurajoki municipality approved repository siting
2001
FI Onkalo — Government Decision-in-Principle ratified by Parliament
2004
FI Onkalo — Excavation of underground characterisation facility began
2015
FI Onkalo — Government granted construction licence for encapsulation plant and DGR
2021
FI Onkalo — Operating licence application submitted to STUK
2024
FI Onkalo — Joint Functional Test (trial run) initiated
2026
FI Onkalo — Planned start of trial operations and final disposal
2009
SE Forsmark DGR — SKB selected Forsmark as preferred site for spent fuel repository
2011
SE Forsmark DGR — SKB submitted licence applications to SSM and Land Court
2018
SE Forsmark DGR — SSM recommended approval of KBS-3 disposal system
2022
SE Forsmark DGR — Swedish Government approved DGR and Clink encapsulation plant
2024
SE Forsmark DGR — Land and Environment Court granted environmental permit
2026
SE Forsmark DGR — Planned ground preparation and detailed excavation start
2035
SE Forsmark DGR — Target operational start for spent fuel disposal
2000
FR Cigéo — Construction of Bure Underground Research Laboratory started
2006
FR Cigéo — Planning Act confirmed deep geological disposal as national reference solution
2022
FR Cigéo — Declaration of Public Utility (DUP) decreed by French Government
2023
FR Cigéo — Andra submitted construction licence application (DAC)
2024
FR Cigéo — Technical safety review by nuclear safety regulators
2027
FR Cigéo — Anticipated construction licence decree
2035
FR Cigéo — Target industrial pilot operation phase start
2008
CH Nördlich Lägern — Sectoral Plan Stage 1 identified 6 potential siting regions
2018
CH Nördlich Lägern — Sectoral Plan Stage 2 narrowed down to 3 candidate regions
2022
CH Nördlich Lägern — Nagra proposed Nördlich Lägern as preferred single DGR site
2024
CH Nördlich Lägern — General licence applications submitted to Swiss Federal Office of Energy
2025
CH Nördlich Lägern — Public consultation and ENSI safety review of general licence
2029
CH Nördlich Lägern — Federal Council decision and parliamentary review (possible referendum)
2050
CH Nördlich Lägern — Target operation start for combined HLW/LILW repository
2010
CA Revell Batholith (Ignace) — NWMO launched Adaptive Phased Management site selection process
2020
CA Revell Batholith (Ignace) — Study areas narrowed down to 2 candidate sites (Ignace and South Bruce)
2024
CA Revell Batholith (Ignace) — Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and Township of Ignace selected as host site
2025
CA Revell Batholith (Ignace) — Submission of initial project description to IAAC and CNSC
2030
CA Revell Batholith (Ignace) — Regulatory licensing and detailed characterisation
2040
CA Revell Batholith (Ignace) — Target operational start for spent fuel deep geological disposal
1975
DE Schacht Konrad — Feasibility studies began on converting former iron ore mine
2002
DE Schacht Konrad — Plan approval decision issued for LILW repository
2007
DE Schacht Konrad — Federal Administrative Court confirmed legal validity of Konrad licence
2008
DE Schacht Konrad — Conversion and mine shaft rehabilitation construction began
2024
DE Schacht Konrad — Re-evaluation of construction timeline and shaft outfitting works
2030
DE Schacht Konrad — Target completion of mine conversion and commissioning
1979
US WIPP — Authorized by US Congress for defense transuranic waste disposal
1992
US WIPP — WIPP Land Withdrawal Act passed by Congress
1998
US WIPP — EPA issued Certification of Compliance with radiation standards
1999
US WIPP — First shipment of defense TRU waste emplaced in bedded salt formation
2024
US WIPP — Safety Significant Confinement Ventilation System (SSCVS) commissioning
2050
US WIPP — Anticipated operational lifespan for defense TRU disposal
2011
CN Beishan URL — Beishan selected as priority candidate area for HLW URL
2019
CN Beishan URL — CAEA and national authorities officially approved Beishan URL project
2021
CN Beishan URL — Construction started on spiral ramp and vertical shafts
2024
CN Beishan URL — Tunnel boring and underground cavern excavation milestones achieved
2026
CN Beishan URL — Target completion of underground research laboratory infrastructure
2050
CN Beishan URL — Target start of commercial high-level waste deep geological disposal
2012
RU Yeniseysky URL — Decision to build underground research laboratory in Nizhnekansky massif
2016
RU Yeniseysky URL — Rostechnadzor granted construction licence for underground research lab
2018
RU Yeniseysky URL — Ground surface facility and vertical shaft excavation commenced
2024
RU Yeniseysky URL — Underground cavern and shaft engineering works ongoing
2027
RU Yeniseysky URL — Target completion of URL construction and start of in-situ experiments
2035
RU Yeniseysky URL — Potential decision on conversion to industrial HLW repository