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A hydrogeological monitoring of Radiana initiated

28.06.2013

At the end of June 2013 the construction works of permanent monitoring boreholes began on the area of the future National Disposal Facility for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste.  The development of a monitoring boreholes system is part of the pre-operational hydrogeological monitoring of the facility. The initiative is an important part of a concept for safe facility operation since it shall allow a data comparison of the current state of the soil and waters within the site and the measurements that will be performed when the NDF is in operation. This ensures the prevention of radionuclides spread in the environment resulting from the operation of the facility, said Eng. Ivan Petrov, Chief technologist in SD NDF.

The hydrogeological monitoring is performed by an international contractor chosen after a tender procedure. The consortium consists of Nuclear National Laboratory – a company that operates mainly in United Kingdom, North and South America and performs hydrogeological monitoring related also to the construction and operation of similar facilities; Dekonta – a Czech company that have experience in Eastern Europe and Asia and its main activity is the localization and observation of contaminated areas and development of new assessment methods related to the environmental impact; and British Geological Survey. A Bulgarian subcontractor was involved in the drilling activities as well.

According to the programme, 12 monitoring boreholes shall be constructed with depth between 15 and 110 meters. The works shall continue approximately 40 days (depending on the weather conditions). The soil samples obtained from different depths shall be sent to a Czech laboratory for a precise geochemical analysis, said the hydro geologist Irzhi Kubricht, a permanent contractor’s representative on site. He commented that at this stage “everything is going very well because SE RAW has specified clearly the aims and the actions”. Stefan Darakchiev, head of the Bulgarian drilling team, stated: “These monitoring boreholes are of great importance. The purpose is to follow up the quality of the underground waters in the future. This means that the works must be performed of great quality and really good. The technology must be followed with an exact precision, the used materials must be of good quality and there shall be no compromises with the procedures”.

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