BASE and BfS ensure responsible handling of the remaining risks of nuclear energy

Even after the shutdown of the last three German nuclear power plants on 15 April, dealing with nuclear energy will pose major challenges for Germany, say the President of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), Inge Paulini, and the President of the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE), Wolfram König. Accordingly, radioactive waste, nuclear power plants in neighbouring countries, and new threat scenarios will continue to require state institutions to protect people and the environment from the dangers of the technology used to generate electricity.

Seven nuclear power plant sites in neighbouring countries less than 100 kilometres from the German border

"The nuclear phase-out is a clear safety gain for Germany. However, as long as there are nuclear power plants in operation or in the pipeline in the immediate vicinity, the risks of nuclear power will remain. We must therefore continue to be prepared for any emergencies," Paulini emphasises. "Seven nuclear power plant sites in neighbouring countries are less than a hundred kilometres away from Germany, and radioactivity does not stop at borders. The reactor accident in Fukushima showed that nuclear power can pose an incalculable risk even for highly developed industrial societies." 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, BfS would support the Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV) at the Federal Radiological Situation Centre (RLZ) - i.e. a special crisis team.

High-level radioactive waste at 16 interim storage facilities

The operation of Germany's nuclear power plants has resulted in around 1900 containers of high-level radioactive waste, which are currently stored at 16 interim storage facilities. BASE is responsible for the safe handling of this legacy of the age of nuclear energy. In addition to the particularly hazardous and long-lived high-level radioactive waste, a good 600,000 cubic metres of so-called low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste must also be disposed of safely. Part of this waste comes from the operation of the nuclear power plants and their dismantling. Another part includes the waste from Asse II, still to be retrieved, as well as waste from the Gronau uranium enrichment plant. "This can be done in specially secured interim storage facilities on the surface for a limited period of time. For long-term safe storage, however, this waste must be isolated from humans and the environment in special repositories in deep geological layers," emphasises BASE President König.

Even if the shutdown of the nuclear power plants means that no new waste will be produced, it is apparent that "for future generations, the chapter of nuclear energy will not be closed by 15 April. The open questions that were not answered during the nuclear age in Germany must now be solved over the decades to come" says König. "The six decades during which nuclear energy was used to generate electricity will be followed by at least another 60 years, which we will need for the dismantling and long-term safe storage of the legacy."

BfS also keeps an eye on current threat scenarios

Paulini points to new dangers in connection with radioactivity: "The war in Ukraine is making one thing very clear: the risk of a radiological accident with serious consequences for people and the environment is still there. There is also a new focus on threat scenarios such as cyberattacks or nuclear weapons attacks." It is often forgotten, she says, that even whilst being dismantled, German nuclear power plants will still pose a risk - albeit a much smaller one. The BfS also has more work to do in this area for decades to come.

According to Paulini, two aspects in particular are crucial for more safety: the regular and comprehensive measurement of radioactivity and a comprehensive situation analysis. Germany has the densest radioactivity measurement network in the world, and thus a functioning early warning system. This is supplemented by comprehensive situation analyses for emergencies. "Together, this forms the basis for protecting the population," says Paulini. "We also make our radiological situation analyses available to international partners. Expanding and intensifying this cooperation will be one of the important tasks for Germany in the years to come" says Paulini.

BASE: Disposal in deep geological strata "safest solution".

While 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 a longer period of time, or are expecting advantages from other reactor technologies in the future. BASE is conducting research on these topics, and has published expert opinions on different reactor concepts such as small modular reactors (in German), novel reactor concepts (in German) or partitioning and transmutation.

BASE President König comments: "Other nuclear technologies will neither be able to eliminate the legacy of nuclear energy use, nor answer the pressing questions of climate change in the foreseeable future. None of the technologies under discussion are currently or foreseeably available on the market." Moreover, key questions about the safety of these concepts remain unanswered, and some technologies would even correlate with new risks.
As far as the safe storage of radioactive waste is concerned, this would mean: "There is no way around the fact that it is up to our generations to ensure the safe disposal of radioactive waste. Final storage in deep geological layers still offers the safest solution. The nuclear phase-out will only be fully implemented once this is permanently guaranteed."

Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS)

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) works to protect people and the environment from harm caused by radiation. The BfS informs the public, and advises the Federal Government on all questions of radiation protection. More than 550 employees assess radiation risks, monitor environmental radioactivity, provide active support in radiological emergency protection; and perform sovereign tasks, including medical and occupational radiation protection. Further fields of work include ultraviolet radiation and radiation-relevant aspects of digitalisation and energy transition. As a scientific and technical higher federal authority, BfS conducts research, and is networked with national and international experts. Further information at www.bfs.de.

Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE)

The Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) is the central federal authority for the safe handling of the legacy of nuclear energy. It performs regulatory, licensing and supervisory tasks in the areas of final storage, interim storage and the handling and transport of high-level radioactive waste. BASE supervises the site selection procedure for a repository for high-level radioactive waste, and organises public participation.