Felslabor Grimsel

Grimsel Test Site GTS

Useful Information

Location:	At the Grimsel Pass. From Guttannen to Gerstenegg at the dam Räterichsboden. Turn right to the cable car. The entrance to the adit is at the cable car station. (N 46°33'43", E 8°20'41")
Open:	Mid-JUN to mid-OCT Tue-Fri 9-16. Tours only for groups and after appointment.
Fee:	free
Classification:	Underground laboratory
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:	L=1,500 m, VR=450 m, A=1,730 m asl, T=13 °C, 3.5 m diamter tunnel system.
Guided tours:	D=120 min, 150 min with crystal cave. ( )
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Felslabor Grimsel, Nagra (Nationale Genossenschaft für die Lagerung radioaktiver Abfälle), Hardstr. 73, 5430 Wettingen, Tel: +41-56-4371111. Renate Spitznagel, Tel: +41-56-4371111, Tel: +41-56-4371282, Fax: +41-56-4371282, E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1972	NAGRA founded.
1979	geological mapping of the area.
1980	horizontal exploration boreholes.
FEB-1982	decisions to construct the GTS made.
JUN-1982	contact with Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG (KWO).
NOV-1982	federal operation licence.
SEP-1983	arrival of full-face tunnel boring machine.
NOV-1983	first experiment on excavation effects.
20-JUN-1984	inauguration of GTS.
1983-1993	Phases I-III.
1994-1996	Phase IV.
1997-2004	Phase V.
2003-2013	Phase VI.

Description

The Felslabor Grimsel (Grimsel Test Site GTS) is an underground laboratory established by the Swiss National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste. It is located underground inside the famous Grimsel granite. It was established for scientific research concerning the safe management and disposal of radioactive waste.

In Switzerland, the producers of this waste are responsible for its safe disposal. So the NAGRA is a joint venture of the Swiss Federal Government and half a dozen corporations which are involved in nuclear sciences. This institution established and manages several underground nuclear laboratories. This one is open to the public.

The laboratory is rather close to the hydro-electric electric power plant. The reason is easy: the power plant needed numerous underground tunnels, which were reduced to minimize costs of this laboratory. The site is not intended for the disposal of radioactive waste.