Jun 19, 2025
Contractors chosen to construct the Belgian waste disposal site.
Civil engineering for ONDRAF/NIRAS' surface disposal facility in Dessel will be executed by the NucleusSafe partnership, with Denys handling electromechanical tasks. Construction is set to commence later this year.
In 2023, ONDRAF/NIRAS received a permit to build and operate a surface disposal facility for low- and intermediate-level, short-lived waste in Dessel. Sigrid Eeckhout, spokesperson for ONDRAF/NIRAS, stated that the selection of contractors "brings us closer to a final destination for all low- and intermediate-level, short-lived waste in Belgium."
The construction of the above-ground storage facility will occur in multiple phases over several decades, with work expected to begin "after the summer," according to Eeckhout.
NucleusSafe, a collaboration among Belgian contractors Deckx, BESIX, Vanhout, and Stadsbader, will handle the civil engineering aspect of the project.
BESIX Belgium-Luxembourg General Manager Mark Beyst expressed pride in supporting essential nuclear infrastructure, citing their successful previous projects like the foundation pit for the PALLAS reactor and spent fuel storage facilities in Doel and Tihange. He emphasized their commitment to safety, technical precision, and operational excellence alongside their joint venture partners, especially Vanhout.
The Dessel surface storage facility will accommodate all Belgian low- and intermediate-level, short-lived radioactive waste from sources such as nuclear power plants, hospitals, and research institutes, as well as waste from decommissioned nuclear facilities. Currently, this waste is managed by ONDRAF/NIRAS' industrial subsidiary Belgoprocess across several dedicated structures on the Dessel site.
In 2023, ONDRAF/NIRAS received a permit to build and operate a surface disposal facility for low- and intermediate-level, short-lived waste in Dessel. Sigrid Eeckhout, spokesperson for ONDRAF/NIRAS, stated that the selection of contractors "brings us closer to a final destination for all low- and intermediate-level, short-lived waste in Belgium."
The construction of the above-ground storage facility will occur in multiple phases over several decades, with work expected to begin "after the summer," according to Eeckhout.
NucleusSafe, a collaboration among Belgian contractors Deckx, BESIX, Vanhout, and Stadsbader, will handle the civil engineering aspect of the project.
BESIX Belgium-Luxembourg General Manager Mark Beyst expressed pride in supporting essential nuclear infrastructure, citing their successful previous projects like the foundation pit for the PALLAS reactor and spent fuel storage facilities in Doel and Tihange. He emphasized their commitment to safety, technical precision, and operational excellence alongside their joint venture partners, especially Vanhout.
The Dessel surface storage facility will accommodate all Belgian low- and intermediate-level, short-lived radioactive waste from sources such as nuclear power plants, hospitals, and research institutes, as well as waste from decommissioned nuclear facilities. Currently, this waste is managed by ONDRAF/NIRAS' industrial subsidiary Belgoprocess across several dedicated structures on the Dessel site.