National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste

Nagra — the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (German: Nationale Genossenschaft für die Lagerung radioaktiver Abfälle; French: Société coopérative nationale pour le stockage des déchets radioactifs, Cedra) — is a Swiss cooperative based in Wettingen in the canton of Aargau. It is mandated by Switzerland's radioactive waste producers to dispose of the country's radioactive waste in a deep geological repository, providing a safe, long-term solution rather than passing the burden on to future generations. Radioactive waste in Switzerland arises mainly from electricity generation in nuclear power plants, but also from applications in medicine, industry and research. Responsibility for the waste lies with the waste producers: the operators of the nuclear power plants and the federal government, the latter being responsible for waste from medicine, industry and research. These producers have tasked Nagra with the disposal mission. Nagra's members include the operators of Switzerland's nuclear power plants, the company operating the interim storage facility (Zwischenlager Würenlingen AG), and the federal government. Funding follows the polluter-pays principle: the operators and the federal government finance ongoing costs, including those of Nagra, and the operators make annual contributions to the federally supervised Decommissioning and Waste Disposal Funds (STENFO) to cover costs after the plants are decommissioned. Disposal costs are recalculated every five years through a cost study, and the current and future disposal costs for waste from nuclear power plants are already included in the price of electricity — around one rappen (cent) per kilowatt hour. Nagra's activities include maintaining an inventory of Swiss radioactive waste (quantity and isotopic composition), searching for one or more deep geological repository sites, planning the construction and operation of such repositories, and cooperating internationally in research. After decades of research, Nagra states that it has a safe disposal concept, an ideal host rock and a suitable repository site in Switzerland; the solution is called Terradura. The planned deep geological repository is in Nördlich Lägern, and Nagra has addressed questions from neighbouring countries through the so-called Espoo report submitted to the federal government. Nagra also operates or participates in underground laboratories, including the Mont Terri underground rock laboratory at St-Ursanne in the canton of Jura and the Grimsel underground rock laboratory. As a cooperative rather than a listed company, Nagra does not trade on a stock exchange. Its work is long-term and highly regulated, involving federal authorities, cantons, communes and international partners. Its public communication includes the Magazine of the Century, "500m+", which explores topics such as whether radioactive waste could be recycled, and it engages with communities near the planned repository site.

Nagra — the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste — is a Swiss cooperative headquartered in Wettingen in the canton of Aargau. It was established by Switzerland's radioactive waste producers to take on the long-term task of disposing of the country's radioactive waste. Its French name, Cedra (Société coopérative nationale pour le stockage des déchets radioactifs), and its German name, Nationale Genossenschaft für die Lagerung radioaktiver Abfälle, reflect the cooperative structure and the national mandate. Radioactive waste in Switzerland arises mainly from the generation of electricity in nuclear power plants, but also from applications in medicine, industry and research. Responsibility for this waste lies with the waste producers: the operators of the nuclear power plants and the federal government, which is responsible for waste from medicine, industry and research. These producers tasked Nagra with disposing of the waste in a deep geological repository for a safe, long-term solution. Nagra's members include the operators of Switzerland's nuclear power plants, the company operating the interim storage facility (Zwischenlager Würenlingen AG), and the federal government. Funding follows the polluter-pays principle: the operators and the federal government finance ongoing costs, including those of Nagra, and the operators make annual contributions to the Decommissioning and Waste Disposal Funds (STENFO), which are under federal supervision. Disposal costs must be recalculated every five years to determine how much the operators must contribute, and the current and future disposal costs for waste from nuclear power plants are already included in the price of electricity — around one rappen (cent) per kilowatt hour. Nagra's activities include maintaining an inventory of Swiss radioactive waste (quantity and isotopic composition), searching for one or more deep geological repository sites, planning the construction and operation of such repositories, and cooperating internationally in research. In 2017, the authorisation procedure for exploratory boreholes opened in five communes north of the Lägern, a Jura massif straddling the Swiss cantons of Aargau and Zurich. After decades of research, Nagra states that it has a safe disposal concept, an ideal host rock and a suitable repository site in Switzerland; the solution is called Terradura. The planned deep geological repository is in Nördlich Lägern, and Nagra has addressed questions from neighbouring countries through the so-called Espoo report, which it submitted to the federal government in the summer of 2026. Nagra also operates or participates in underground laboratories, including the Mont Terri underground rock laboratory at St-Ursanne in the canton of Jura and the Grimsel underground rock laboratory. As a cooperative, Nagra is not listed on a stock exchange. Its work is long-term, highly regulated and involves federal authorities, cantons, communes and international partners. Its public communication includes the Magazine of the Century, "500m+", which explores topics such as whether radioactive waste could be recycled, and it engages with communities near the planned repository site.

• 2026

  Nagra submitted the Espoo report on the Nördlich Lägern deep geological repository to the federal government.

• 2026

  The latest issue of Nagra's Magazine of the Century, "500m+", focused on "trash" and the question of recycling radioactive waste.

• 2017

  Authorisation procedure opened for exploratory boreholes in five communes north of the Lägern.

Switzerland's mandated expert organisation for the safe, long-term deep geological disposal of radioactive waste, funded by waste producers on the polluter-pays principle.

• Terradura disposal concept

  Nagra's safe disposal concept for radioactive waste in a deep geological repository.

• Nördlich Lägern deep geological repository site

  The planned site for Switzerland's deep geological repository.

• Mont Terri underground rock laboratory

  Underground rock laboratory at St-Ursanne in the canton of Jura.

• Grimsel underground rock laboratory

  Underground rock laboratory at Grimsel.

1. 1Nagra – Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastenagra.ch
2. 2About Us | Nagranagra.ch
3. 3National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste – Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Cedra (Suisse) – Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org