L'Andra
Disposal facilities & waste management, promoting safety, dialogue and sustainability
Latest technical updates
We design, develop and operate solutions for radioactive waste
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Specific disposal cell
With a length of 265m, this cell is dedicated to the disposal of massive and large waste, arising from the dismantling of French nuclear installations.
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Logistics building
Logistics building for unloading of VLL waste and its storage before transfer to the disposal vaults
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Conditioning building
Conditioning building houses two compacting presses for low-density plastic or bulk metallic VLL waste, a solidification, stabilisation and inerting unit for hazardous waste; an additional inspection unit for the waste packages
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Waste storage building
Storage building temporarily accepts the radioactive waste from activities unrelated to nuclear power and for which no disposal solutions exist as of yet
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Grouping building
Grouping building and its sorting/treatment extension for grouping waste from activities unrelated to nuclear power and for sorting and treating some of these wastes
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Final cap
Final cap comprising various layers of natural materials (clay, alterites, aggregates, topsoil), built on the vaults filled with VLL waste, providing long-term confinement of these wastes.
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Soil disposal area
There are two areas on the site where soil from the excavation of the cells is disposed of.
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Basin area
This area includes two settling basins for streaming water from the soil disposal area, and a storm water basin that collects storm water and non-radiologically contaminated wastewater from the site prior to release to the environment.
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Cells under temporary cover
Once filled with waste, the cells are closed by a temporary cover made up of a layer of sand, a high-density polyethylene geomembrane and an anti-UV geotextile. This temporary cover is put in place while waiting for the final cover.
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Cell in operation
The VLL waste is disposed of in cells, about 180 m long, dug into the clay. The operation is carried out under patented mobile roofs called Prémorail®, protected from the rain.
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Experimental cap
Experimental cap structure to study a cover design which, after operation of the site, will ensure the long-term sealing of the disposal area.
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Vaults
Reinforced concrete structures built on the 30 hectare disposal area and in which packages of low and intermediate level, short-lived waste (LLW/ILW-SL) are disposed of.
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Storm water basin
Storm water basin collects all the rainwater from the site and also constituting a firefighting water reserve.
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Conditioning building
It consists of a mortar injection unit for blocking the waste, which is contained in 5 and 10 m3 containers ; a compacting unit for compressing 200-litre metal drums; and a control installation for carrying out more extensive controls on packages than those carried out systematically on their arrival at the centre.
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Transit building
Transit building regulates the waste streams passing through the installations and is used for temporary storage of the waste packages requiring additional inspections.
Cigéo
A hundred years project driven by safety and dialogue to manage most dangerous waste.
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Public reception building
Contains the staff offices, including those of the security guards, an archive room and an exhibition and visitors reception space.
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Test boards
Experimental boards set up in 2014 to study a prototype cover made of shales taken from the current cover of the center mixed with bentonite.
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Water basins
The CSM water management system directs all collected water to this building. The water is controlled there before being sent to the Orano site.
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Orano - La Hague Spent Nuclear Fuel Processing Plant
Located next to the Manche disposal facility. Rain water collected from the Manche disposal facility (CSM) are channeled to the Orano water treatment plant before being discharged into the Sainte-Hélène stream or to the sea.
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Atmospheric station
This station houses the air quality monitoring and meteorological equipment. The data collected is important for the analysis of the environmental results of the site (in particular rainfall).
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Explore our global presence: countries with commercial Andra activities
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of international excellence in surface disposal facilities
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commited to overcome radioactive waste mangement challenge
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of radioactive waste with an operational disposal solution
International consultancy
With Andra’s know-how covering most domains of radioactive waste management expertise, there are a lot of ways in which a counterpart agency or an industrial enterprise of the nuclear cycle could benefit from our experience.
