Nuclear phase-out increases safety in Germany – but many risks still remain

As of 15 April, there are no more active nuclear power plants in Germany

Even after the shut-down of the last three German nuclear power plants on 15 April, dealing with nuclear energy poses major challenges for Germany. This was pointed out by Inge Paulini, President of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), and Wolfram König, President of the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Disposal (BASE). Radioactive waste, nuclear power plants near the border, and new threats will continue to require the intervention of state institutions in order be able to protect people and the environment from the dangers of nuclear energy technology.

Seven locations less than 100 km from the German border

"The nuclear phase-out is a clear step forward in safety in Germany. However, as long as nuclear power plants continue to operate in the immediate vicinity or even new ones are planned, the risks of nuclear power will continue to exist. We must therefore continue to be prepared for any emergencies", says Paulini.

President of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Dr Inge Paulini

"Seven nuclear power plant sites in our neighbouring countries are less than 100 km away from Germany – and radioactivity does not stop at the borders. The Fukushima nuclear accident has shown that nuclear power can pose an incalculable risk – even to highly developed industrial societies."

The BfS works to ensure the safety and protection of people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation. In the event of an accident involving radioactivity, the BfS would support the Federal Environment Ministry (BMUV) in the Federal Radiological Situation Centre (RLZ) – a special crisis unit.

High-level radioactive waste in 16 interim storage facilities

The operation of German nuclear power plants results in around 1,900 containers of highly radioactive waste. These are currently stored in 16 interim storage facilities. The BASE is responsible for the safe handling of these remains of the nuclear energy age. In addition to the particularly hazardous and long-lived high-level radioactive waste, approx. 600,000 m³ of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste must be disposed of safely. This comes mainly from the operation and dismantling of the nuclear power plants but also include the waste from Asse II that still has to be retrieved as well as waste from the Gronau uranium enrichment plant.

"In the short term, this can be done in specially secured interim storage facilities on the surface. However, for safe long-term storage, this waste must be isolated from humans and the environment in special repositories in deep geological layers", says König.

BASE President Wolfram König

Even though the shut-down of the nuclear power plants means that no new waste is being produced, the age of nuclear energy did not end on 15 April. "Over the coming years, the open questions that were not answered during the nuclear age in Germany will have to be solved", says König. "The six decades in which nuclear energy has been used to generate electricity will be followed by at least another six decades that will be needed for the dismantling and safe long-term storage of the remains."

The BfS also keeps an eye on current threat scenarios

Paulini points to new dangers associated with radioactivity: "The war in Ukraine clearly shows that the risk of a radiological accident with serious consequences for humans and the environment remains. Threat scenarios such as cyberattacks or nuclear weapons attacks are also coming into focus." It is often forgotten that German nuclear power plants also pose a risk – albeit a much smaller one – as long as they are being dismantled. The BfS will be tasked with this for decades to come.

The Federal Radiological Situation Centre (RLZ)

Two aspects in particular are crucial for more security: the regular and area-wide measurement of radioactivity and comprehensive situation analysis. Germany operates the most extensive radioactivity measuring network in the world and thus has a functioning early warning system. This is complemented by comprehensive situation analyses for emergencies. "Together, these form the basis for protecting the population", says Paulini.

"We also make our radiological situation analyses available to international partners. Expanding and deepening this cooperation will be one of the important tasks of the coming years", says Paulini.

BASE: Final disposal in deep geological layers is the “safest solution”

Whilst Germany and other countries are phasing out the use of nuclear energy or have already taken this step, other countries are planning to operate their plants for longer or benefit from other reactor technologies. The BASE conducts research on these topics and has published scientific reports on various reactor concepts such as small modular reactors, novel reactor concepts, or partitioning and transmutation.

"In the foreseeable future, other nuclear technologies can neither eliminate contaminated nuclear energy sites nor answer the pressing questions of climate change. None of the technologies discussed are currently available on the market or will be in the foreseeable future", says König. In addition, central questions about the safety of these concepts have not yet been clarified. Some technologies would even be associated with new risks.

For the question of the safe storage of radioactive waste, this means: "Our generations will be tasked with safely dealing with the contaminated sites. Final disposal in deep geological layers is still the safest solution. Only when this is permanently guaranteed will the nuclear phase-out be fully implemented."