THE REGULATORY REVIEW: GENERAL COMMENTS, CURRENT STATUS OF REVIEW, IDENTIFICATION OF CRITICAL ISSUES

摘要

The review has just started, therefore only preliminary remarks can be made here. The following points stand out in our mind: 1. The documentation of the safety case appears clear and comprehensive. 2. The engineered barrier system is more challenging than in earlier projects. We have: 2.1 inhomogeneity of the bentonite buffer during an extended time period; 2.2 slow saturation of the bentonite during the thermal phase; 2.3 questions about the gas conduction in the near field. 3. The thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of the Opalinus clay is complex. 4. The fracture connectivity in the EDZ may be important for radionuclide and gas transport. As regards the central theme of this conference we note as an example that the hydrogeochemical data have provided strong and multiple evidences of the long term isolation capacity of the Opalinus clay.