Work progress tracking thread

This page is a news feed to track the progress of the current Cigéo construction work.

A presentation is at the bottom of the page (early June 2026).

If you are in the area and notice any work related to Cigéo, please email us at suivi-travaux@riseup.net ! Even better if you have photos or videos. This will be posted in this news thread (unless you specify that you don’t want it).

This map shows the location of the work and tracks its progress (note that it is not always up to date) : https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/forage-andra_1280838#11/48.6129/5.0839

A previous article on the subject, with resources : https://bureburebure.info/la-dr0-en-carte-interactive-surveillons-les-mefaits-de-landra/

An action in October : https://bureburebure.info/inspection-surprise-des-forages-sur-la-voie-ferree/

Update of June 14, 2026

June 12, 2026

Stainville (near the N4 interchange)

3 boreholes completed as part of the exploratory drilling campaign The test sites of the Barrois Limestone Formation (CFB) are located near Stainville (CIG1654 – CIG1655 – CIG1656) on a farm track. These red tubes likely contain measuring instruments, which will be regularly retrieved by Andra. They should be covered by a green box (a small structure).

Drilling has been carried out on another road between Stainville and Ménil-sur-Saulx (CIG1657 – CIG1658). We hadn’t heard of this dark blue drilling rig before (it’s folded up). So there are at least three different drilling rigs currently in operation, two of which are part of the Barrois limestone drilling campaign.

Morley

Drilling rigs installed on the edge of the village of Morley (CFB) (CIG1638 – CIG1639 – CIG1640). This is the gray drill rig marked 72 that was seen elsewhere at the end of May.

 

Montiers-sur-Saulx State Forest

There is a sign announcing the planned drilling (CIG1626 – CIG627 – CIG1628), but the drilling has not yet begun.

Between Biencourt and Hévilliers

Drilling completed after one week of work

June 7, 2026

Mandres-en-Barrois

Drilling between the laboratory and the location known as “L’antenne,” between Mandres and Bure, along the route of the future “Inter-Site Link” (LIS) road. The same red drill rig was used.

 

June 5, 2026

Mandres-en-Barrois

Drilling is underway as part of the inter-site geotechnical survey. It’s a red drill rig, like the ones seen along the SNCF railway line this fall.

 

 

End of May 2026

CFB drilling. As with every drilling operation, we see a small prefabricated building, a water tank (the water is used for drilling), and the drilling rig, here the gray one marked 72.

 

Presentation (early June 2026)

The decree authorizing the creation of Cigéo (the DAC) has not yet been issued, but Andra began a new phase of so-called “preparatory” work in the fall of 2025 : DR0, which will soon be followed by DR1. A 12-page analysis of what DR0 entails is available here : https://coordstopcigeo.noblogs.org/post/2025/05/12/analyse-dossier-dro/ (in french)

 

But to summarize what has already been done :

• Geotechnical investigations along the section of railway line between Gondrecourt and Nançois-Tronville, which Andra plans to renovate for the construction of Cigéo and the transport of nuclear waste. Most of these boreholes were drilled in the fall/winter of 2025-2026.
• Preventive archaeological excavations around the Andra laboratory, Mandres-en-Barrois, and Bois Lejuc. These excavations were mandatory before the project and were carried out in January-February 2026.

Currently, work on the DR0 (Road Development Zone) continues :

• Numerous boreholes are being drilled between Mandres, Bure, and the laboratory, along the route of the Inter-Site Link (LIS). This new road would connect the Andra laboratory directly to Bois Lejuc and would soon be used to clear the Bois Lejuc. Further drilling is underway in this area and as far as Saudron to prepare for other projects, such as the relocation of the RD60/960 road.
• Other drilling, known as “reconnaissance drilling of the Barrois limestone formation” (CFB), is also in progress. This drilling is taking place across a fairly wide area, from Bure to Bar-le-Duc, and from the Saulx valley to Ligny-en-Barrois.
• Deep drilling is planned for the four corners of the Bois Lejuc forest this summer:  near Ribeaucourt, Houdelaincourt, Bonnet, and Bure. The drilling platforms have not yet been built, but this is expected in the coming weeks or months.
• Work is underway in the Bois Lejuc forest https://bureburebure.info/ballade-nocturne-sur-les-travaux-en-cours-au-bois-lejuc/

Two months ago, in parallel with the eviction of la Gare, the French government and Andra (the French National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management) accelerated the public inquiry process for the DAC (Departmental Commission for Construction), which they want to push through before the 2027 presidential elections, meaning this winter. On the ground, there is an expectation that the Bois Lejuc forest will be threatened very soon, even more severely than in 2016. This time, if nothing is done, two-thirds of the forest will be cleared! Since environmental law (or what’s left of it…) prohibits logging during nesting season, this would happen either next autumn/winter or autumn/winter 2027-28.

The work carried out by DR0 and DR1 is partly the same work that Andra illegally began in 2016, and which our collective action brought to a halt. Andra fell behind schedule thanks to our struggle! But it’s back with a vengeance, and with enough discretion that the “preparatory” work is, for now, going through without a hitch.

 

 

14/06/2026