Stage 3

(Video in German only)

At the end of Stage 3 of the Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Repositories, general licences will be granted for the deep geological repository and the associated fuel element packaging facility.

At the beginning of 2022, Nagra completed its geological investigations in the three potential siting regions of Jura Ost, northern Lägern and Zürich Nordost. Its location was announced on 12 September 2022: The deep geological repository is to be constructed in northern Lägern and the fuel element packaging facility at the interim storage facility in Würenlingen. Based on the geological investigations, Nagra came to the conclusion that northern Lägern was the most suitable siting region compared to the others. Siting the packaging facility in Würenlingen makes it possible to exploit synergies with existing facilities and processes and would minimise land consumption.

Following the announcement, Nagra prepared the two general licence applications and submitted them to the SFOE in November 2024. These are now being examined by the authorities with regard to safety, spatial planning and the environment. This process takes ENSI one and a half years. The expert reports are expected to be published in mid-2027. The SFOE then obtains opinions from the other responsible federal authorities (ARE and FOEN), as well as the cantons. The two regions concerned will also provide an opinion. The entire package of applications, expert opinions and feedback will be made public for three months in 2028 so that everyone can comment on them. The Federal Council is expected to make its decisions on the general licences and stage 3 of the sectoral plan in 2029. These Federal Council decisions on the general licences must be approved by Parliament. Parliamentary resolutions are subject to a national optional referendum. If a referendum should be initiated, the Swiss electorate would vote on the award of the general licences, most likely in the early 2030s. The sites for the deep geological repository and the fuel element packaging facility will only be definitively determined if they are approved by the people.

Once the applications have been submitted, the two general licence procedures, which the SFOE carries out in parallel with the sectoral planning procedure, formally begin. The diagram below provides an overview of the two procedures. The red dots represent the siting regions.

SGT: Sectoral planning procedure for deep geological repositories (in accordance with the Spatial Planning Act)
GLP: General licence procedure (in accordance with the Nuclear Energy Act)