The Cigéo project, France's ambitious plan to bury its most radioactive nuclear waste deep underground in Bure, Meuse, is facing a significant budget revision. Initial estimates pegged the cost at €25 billion, but recent evaluations by the National Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (Andra) suggest the final bill could range between €26.1 and €37.5 billion. This adjustment accounts for extended design studies and lessons learned from other large-scale underground projects, such as the Grand Paris Express metro.

Since its inception in 1991, the Cigéo project has been a point of contention among environmentalists and local associations. Designed to house 83,000 cubic meters of nuclear waste 500 meters below the surface, the facility is intended to safely contain materials that will remain highly radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years. Half of the expected waste volume has already been produced, underscoring the urgency of finding a long-term storage solution.

Despite the cost increase, Andra's interim director general, Gaëlle Saquet, maintains that the project's expenses are under control, closely aligning with the 2014 estimate of €33.8 billion. However, when factoring in inflation, the total cost could escalate to between €32.8 and €45.3 billion. The project's timeline has also been extended, with waste storage now set to begin in 2050, a delay from the original 2035-2040 target, and the site's closure projected for 2170.

The French Energy Minister is expected to make a final decision on the revised budget by the end of 2025, following consultations with the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR) and input from major waste producers like EDF, Orano, and the CEA. As the debate over the project's feasibility and environmental impact continues, the Cigéo project remains a critical, yet controversial, component of France's nuclear waste management strategy.