National radioactive waste repository 2011-2012: Construction of the first two disposal galleries

The Bataapáti site was selected for the storage of the low and intermediate level radioactive waste on the basis of a multilateral consideration. The site and its sorroundings geographically belong to the Geresd Hills and geologically to the Mórágy Granite Pluton. In the northwest part it spreads over the East Mecsek. The site is located in the centre of this region. The surface exploration phase was completed in 2003 [1]. On the basis of the results the specialised authority agreed on geological suitability within the boundaries of the polygon appointed in the exploration area. The construction of the inclined shafts (serving as access tunnels) meant the subsurface exploration phase, which, in accordance with the approved plan, was launched in late 2004 and was completed in mid-2008 [2]. The final report of the underground exploration program [2] was prepared during the excavation of the last section of the inclined shafts. It confirmed that the subsurface exploration had achieved its task objective and proved that the natural conditions of the Bátaapáti site are suitable for a low and intermediate level radioactive waste repository [3]. Phase I (the so-called “small loop” tunnel system) of the construction of the National Radioactive Waste Repository (NRWR) in Bátaapáti was carried out between 2008 and 2009 [9]. The first and second stages (construction of the “large loop” tunnel system and the subsurface areas of final water treatment system) of Phase II were basically completed in June 2010 [17]. The operating systems of the NRWR and the first two disposal galleries of the No. 1 chamber field (I-K1 and I-K2) were constructed (completed by the end of September, 2011) within the third stage of the second phase [18], [21–22]. After the completion of the small-loop tunnel system a summarising geological evaluation was prepared [15]. An expert summary [13] was made in 2010 with consideration of the data available as of 31 May 2010. These reports were followed by the disposal gallery preliminary design [16] in May, 2011 and the recently prepared geological summary [19], which are based on data collected before the date of 24 April 2012. The Pécs District Mines Inspectorate received the geological summary [20] about the construction phases of the NRWR between 2008 and 2012 in early June 2012. Zoltán Balla was responsible for the small-scale geological modeling [4], [5], [6] and Gyula Maros mainly for the structural-tectonic synthesis [11–12].