BASE President: Responsibility for nuclear safety lies with the Federal Government Kategorie: Nuclear safety |Date: 2023.04.16

In accordance with the German constitution, the responsibility for nuclear safety lies with the federal government - the Bundestag and all federal states, including Bavaria, have agreed to phase out nuclear energy. The ‘special path’ now requested by Bavaria therefore contravenes current law, emphasises BASE President Wolfram König in a statement on the current debate.

BASE comments on time perspective in the repository site selection procedure Date: 2023.03.15

BASE has analysed the BGE mbH’s report on the time perspectives of the search for a repository sites. Its conclusion: The search procedure must be evaluated. The aim of the evaluation must be to establish a realistic timetable.

Statement of BASE President: A question of safety Kategorie: Nuclear safety |Date: 2022.07.28

When assessing the pros and cons of a continued operation of nuclear power plants, safety concerns should be paramount. A lifetime extension would also mean another challenge for the search for a final repository in Germany. BASE President Wolfram König comments on the current debate.

BASE expert response on EU taxonomy Date: 2022.05.17

On 2 February 2022, the European Commission presented the Delegated Act (DA) on the classification of nuclear activities in line with Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council dated 18 June 2020 (known as the Taxonomy Regulation). BASE has carried out a technical assessment of the DA.

BASE provides inter-institutional information on Ukraine's nuclear situation Kategorie: Nuclear safety |Date: 2022.03.10

Following the conflict in Ukraine, nuclear facilities have for the first time become the target of armed conflict. On the BASE website, you will find an independent and broad range of information on topics regarding nuclear safety. In addition, we provide links to other institutions with expertise in the subjects of nuclear power and radioactivity.

BASE statement on the role of nuclear power in the current discussion on the EU taxonomy Date: 2022.01.12

On December 31, 2021, the EU Commission presented a proposal for the classification of nuclear power under the EU Taxonomy Regulation. According to this proposal, both the construction of new nuclear power plants licensed for operation until 2045 as well as the lifetime extension of old power plants are classified as sustainable economic activities.

Searching for a disposal facility in the Covid-19 era Kategorie: Site Selection |Date: 2020.04.09

Current developments in the Covid-19 crisis are causing restrictions for all members of the public, both in their private and professional lives. At the same time, it is quite natural that BASE, the federal authority, will continue to fully exercise its responsibility for state tasks to ensure that people are safe during the disposal of nuclear waste, even in special challenging circumstances.
The key issue here is to ensure that the federal authority is capable of acting, even if circumstances change. New scenarios need to be considered allowing for the protection of public health for issues like the search for a disposal site for high-level radioactive waste, where transparency and public participation are required.

Safety aspects when storing waste from reprocessing Kategorie: Nuclear safety |Date: 2020.03.16

Doubts have been raised about a licence issued by BASE and the associated safety checks in an open letter and a press release published by BUND (Friends of the Earth) in the Federal State of Hesse. The criticism is directed against the planned storage and re-acceptance of high-level radioactive German waste at the storage site in Biblis in the south of Hesse. BASE issued a licence for the storage of vitrified high-level radioactive waste there at the end of December 2019. It was formed by reprocessing spent fuel rods from German nuclear power stations at Sellafield. The BASE takes a position on this.

The situation at the storage facility at Brunsbüttel in the light of the Atomic Energy Act Kategorie: Nuclear safety |Date: 2020.01.20

By announcing his unrestricted order to continue keeping nuclear fuel at the storage facility at the nuclear power station in Brunsbüttel, the Schleswig-Holstein Environment Minister has expressed his hope that “this temporary rule will now be replaced by a long-term licence as quickly as possible” from the licensing authority BASE and the store operator. The BASE takes a position on this.

"Radioactively green"? Kategorie: Nuclear safety |Date: 2019.12.27

Wolfram König, the President of the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management, wrote a reader’s letter, which was published in abbreviated form in SPIEGEL magazine (53/2019) on 27 December 2019. It commented on the article entitled “Radioactively Green”, which had appeared in the 51st issue.