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Geological and Geotechnical Engineering surveys of construction sites of the New NPP to be carried out
Category: Press Releases
Published: 2010-01-14
Vilnius, 13 January. The surveys of geological and geotechnical engineering conditions have been started in the potential construction sites of Visaginas Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The purpose of the surveys is to establish suitability of geological engineering conditions of the sites to the construction of nuclear energy objects. The surveys are carried out by UAB “Geotestus”, which has offered the lowest price in the tender.
The surveys aim at investigating the geological surface structure of the two sites selected for the construction of the new NPP, i.e. obtaining geological and hydrogeological engineering data and geotechnical parameters of soil properties.
The terms of reference provide the following tasks: boring two deep boreholes of up to 250 m and 108 engineering geological boreholes of up to 30 m, performing geotechnical soil probing of up to 30 m in 133 points, boring and exploring 8–16 hydrogeological boreholes, and conducting laboratory tests of more than 600 soil samples.
“First of all, the contractor must develop a survey programme, which will be coordinated with the Lithuanian Geological Survey under the Ministry of Environment – the state body that carries out supervision of geological and geotechnical engineering surveys. Fieldwork is planned to start in January,” says Mr. Rimvydas Štilinis, Head of the General Infrastructure Competence Centre of “Visagino atominė elektrinė”.
Geological and geotechnical engineering surveys are a sub-component of the project for evaluation of potential construction sites of Visaginas NPP against IAEA safety standards. The assessment of suitability of geological engineering conditions of construction sites of the new NPP to the construction of nuclear energy objects is planned to be accomplished by the beginning of July this year.
Two potential construction sites, both located in the territory of Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, have been assessed for the purpose of construction of the new Visaginas NPP. The first site is eastwards from the second unit of INPP, while the second site is located westwards from electricity distribution equipment.