Perspectives on Reversibility and Retrievability of a Geological Repository in France

In France it is required by law that the future geological repository for high-level waste (HLW) and intermediate-level long-lived waste (ILW-LL) be “reversible.” but the conditions for reversibility will be defined after the license application for construction. This situation requires scientists to establish dialogue with the stakeholders and issue specific proposals before a new law is promulgated as a preliminary to obtaining authorization to build a waste repository. Such dialogue can identify the various expectations of stakeholders. These expectations call for answers of various natures: better mutual understanding through clarifications on specific subjects, technical features to be incorporated in the design, and proposals for governance features of the disposal process. These answers are being developed in the framework of the program conducted by Andra. This dialogue is a continuous process. While a major decision point will be met around 2016, concerning the license for construction, discussion and revisions will continue as part of the disposal program, until the final closure of the repository, or even later.