Surprise inspection of the drillings on the railway

Thursday, October 16, about fifteen people gathered for a surprise visit of the noisy drilling site operated on the old and perhaps future railway line at Menaucourt in the Ornain valley. It is as part of the preparatory work for Cigéo (DR0) that ANDRA delegated to SNCF, which itself delegated to the company (not from Meuse) ABO-ERG the execution of work to determine whether or not the railway route could indeed accommodate weekly convoys of nuclear waste for a hundred years. To this end, the workers were drilling on that day using two large augers on a railway bridge spanning the peaceful river.

Having no certainty about the proper conduct of this work, our valiant volunteer safety committee came to perform its inspection wearing the required Individual Protective Equipment (IPE). The workers, though reputed to be unfriendly, answered some of our questions but were unable to present their work authorization. Perhaps additional assessments will be needed ? These works spread over several months move several times a week along the route between Nançois and Gondrecourt. In addition to the engineering works such as the bridge we inspected, shovel drilling, soundings and other temporary installation of piezometric tubes take place along the unused rails at locations indicated by green spray paint.

According to the reference documents of the DR0, the diggers, the cores, the generator and other pumping equipment are stored at night and on weekends at the life-camp graciously lent by ANDRA (remember that it is not the project owner) in Gondrecourt-le-Château. The carbon footprint of this work, which is supposed to be the result of a democratic process and an opportunity for the territory, could have been reduced without these daily round trips. Let us not doubt that ANDRA will be able to make good use of the recommendations of our self-managed citizen process for improving its projects. Our visit, quick but interesting, ended without difficulties. Do not hesitate to go and inquire by yourself about the proper conduct of these “public utility” works.

23/10/2025

CIGEO

travaux