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Interim Storage & Transport

Transport - Storage - Surveillance of Radioactive Waste

Safety of Nucleare Waste Management

Repatriation of radioactive waste from reprocessing

  • There have not been any more transports of German fuel elements for reprocessing since 2005. Until then, nuclear power plant operators had shipped about 6,670 tonnes of heavy metal to reprocessing plants.
  • Some of the reprocessed waste is still stored at the respective plants in France and the UK. In accordance with contractual obligations, the operators of the nuclear power plants as the waste owners must take back the radioactive waste.
  • 14 casks with high-level radioactive waste from Great Britain and four from France are to be returned and distributed to the interim storage sites at Philippsburg (Baden-Württemberg), Brokdorf (Schleswig-Holstein) and Isar (Bavaria).
  • Most recently, six casks from the Sellafield reprocessing plant in the UK were brought to Biblis (Hesse) in early November 2020.
  • In April 2023, BASE granted BGZ Gesellschaft für Zwischenlagerung mbH a licence to store seven casks from Sellafield at the Isar interim storage facility. The licence for the transport from Sellafield to the Isar interim storage facility, which is also required for repatriating the casks, has not yet been issued.

Castor casks at the Isar/Ohu interim storage site Isar/Ohu interim storage siteCastor casks at the Isar/Ohu interim storage site Source: PreussenElektra

Transports of German fuel elements for reprocessing abroad have been prohibited since 2005. Until then, the operators of the nuclear power plants had shipped about 6,670 tonnes of heavy metal (uranium and other metallic components of the irradiated nuclear fuel) abroad for reprocessing and other utilisation.

5,379 tonnes went to Orano (formerly AREVA NC, COGEMA) for reprocessing in France, 851 tonnes were shipped to Sellafield Ltd (formerly BNFL) for reprocessing in the UK. The remaining quantities were either processed at the Karlsruhe reprocessing plant (WAK) or, to a lesser extent, transported to the following foreign institutions:

  • for reprocessing at Eurochemic in Mol (Belgium)
  • for storage at the Central Interim Storage Facility for Spent Fuel (CLAB) in Sweden.
  • for reprocessing or storage in Russia (only fuel assemblies from the Greifswald and Rheinsberg NPPs that had been manufactured in the former USSR).
  • for further use at the Paks NPP in Hungary (only fuel elements from the Greifswald NPP).

Return shipments of waste from reprocessing plants

A Castor container is transported on a truck to the hall of an interim storage facility. Sample handling BiblisSample handling of a transport container for return Source: BGZ/C. Mick

Even though, following the amendment of the law, there have not been any further transports from Germany to reprocessing plants since 2005, some of the waste from reprocessing is still stored at the corresponding plants abroad. In accordance with contractual obligations, the operators of German nuclear power plants as the waste owners must take back this waste. This complies with the principle that each country must dispose of its own radioactive waste.

Unlike irradiated fuel elements, the liquid medium- and high-level radioactive waste produced during reprocessing is vitrified and poured into glass moulds. The resulting waste products are placed in appropriate transport and storage containers. The solid medium-level radioactive waste produced during reprocessing, which consists of casings and structural parts of German fuel elements, is high-pressure-compacted and packed into appropriate containers.

In 2015, the Federal Government, the Länder, and the waste owners agreed to temporarily store the vitrified radioactive waste at on-site interim storage facilities in Hesse, Schleswig-Holstein, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, to await final disposal there.

According to the original plans for the repatriation of waste from reprocessing in France, five casks with vitrified medium-level radioactive waste were planned to be stored at the Philippsburg interim storage facility. In addition, the energy supply companies were obliged to take back 152 containers with high-pressure- compacted medium-level radioactive waste.

New contracts

Interior view of the Philippsburg on-site interim storage facility Philippsburg on-site interim storage facilityInterior view of the Philippsburg on-site interim storage facility Source: EnBW

In 2021, the energy supply companies concluded new contracts with the French reprocessing plant in La Hague and the Federal Republic of Germany. These contracts provide for the return to Germany of four casks with high-level radioactive waste and 30 empty, internally contaminated transport casks, instead of 157 casks with medium-level waste. The four casks with high-level vitrified waste are to be stored at the Philippsburg interim storage facility. The 30 empty, internally contaminated transport casks are intended for the transport cask storage facility in Ahaus.

The Federal Republic of Germany is thus taking back the originally agreed activity inventory – or, in other words, the same amount of radioactivity - from France. Yet, the volume of radioactive waste is reduced considerably, so there will probably only have to be one transport from the French reprocessing plant.

Irrespective of this change in plans for the return of radioactive waste from France, BGZ mbH as the operator of the Philippsburg on-site interim storage facility has not withdrawn the application for storing five containers with vitrified intermediate-level radioactive waste in accordance with the previous concept. Since the licensing prerequisites had demonstrably been met, and this was a so-called bound decision, BASE was obliged to grant the licence. The licence will also be needed if the new agreement cannot be comprehensively fulfilled. In such a case, the intermediate-level radioactive waste would have to be returned to and stored at Philippsburg.

The obligation to return an estimated 7 casks each of vitrified high-level waste from the UK to the Brokdorf and Isar on-site interim storage facilities remains in effect.

No return transports to Gorleben

Gorleben loading station in November 2010 Gorleben loading stationGorleben loading station in November 2010 Source: Getty Images / Miguel Villagran

With the introduction of the Site Selection Act, which the German Bundestag passed by broad majority in 2013, the legislature also amended the Atomic Energy Act: According to Section 9a paragraph 2a of the Atomic Energy Act, since 1 January 2014 the energy suppliers have had to ensure that the remaining radioactive waste from reprocessing was taken back and stored at near-site interim storage facilities.

The term "near-site" refers to the locations of the nuclear power plants. Previously, the energy supply companies had transported the waste to the interim storage facility in Gorleben in Lower Saxony exclusively. To this date, 108 containers with vitrified high-level radioactive residues from reprocessing have already been placed in storage there.

Since the Gorleben transport cask storage facility is a central interim storage facility and not a near-site one, storage at the Gorleben transport cask storage facility is no longer possible.

Answers to key questions on the return of wastes from reprocessing

What is the current status regarding the storage and transport licences for radioactive waste from reprocessing?show / hide

The interim storage licences for the Brokdorf and Phillipsburg sites are still pending. The transports have not yet been applied for. The storage licence for the Isar site has been granted, the transport licence is still pending. Applications for storage and transport of the contaminated containers for the Ahaus site have not yet been submitted. The storage of the waste at Biblis took place in November 2020.

How much waste from reprocessing must still be repatriated?show / hide

According to the waste producers, i.e. the energy-supplying companies, a maximum of 14 casks from Great Britain and four casks from France with vitrified high-level radioactive waste are still waiting to be returned to Germany. Six casks from Great Britain have already been transported to Biblis in November 2020. In addition, 30 empty, internally contaminated transport casks are to be brought from France to Ahaus.

What licences are required for the transport and storage of waste from reprocessing?show / hide

In order for the containers to be brought to the interim storage facilities, the waste owners, i.e. the operators of the nuclear power plants, must submit applications for licences for transport and interim storage. In accordance with Section 4 of the Atomic Energy Act, so-called transport licences are required for the transport of the waste to Germany. In addition, a modification licence pursuant to Section 6 of the Atomic Energy Act is required for the storage of waste from reprocessing at the on-site interim storage facilities. The operator of the respective interim storage facility must apply for such a licence. To obtain a licence, the applicant must prove to BASE that all safety requirements have been met. For waste from reprocessing, the same safety requirements as for irradiated fuel elements must be fulfilled for both transport and interim storage.

What determines the duration of the licencing procedures?show / hide

The prerequisite for interim storage and transport is that all nuclear safety requirements are met. Only then can BASE issue a licence. The duration of the licensing procedure is largely in the hands of the applicants, who must submit all the evidence and application documents in the necessary detail and quality.

Are the on-site interim storage facilities suitable for storing waste from reprocessing?show / hide

In principle, the high-level radioactive waste from reprocessing in the UK and the irradiated fuel elements from nuclear power plants are comparable in terms of their activity per container. Sufficient storage space capacities are available for the storage of waste from reprocessing at the potential on-site interim storage facilities listed by the BMUV. The total radioactive inventory already approved will not be exceeded.

Are the effects of a deliberately induced aircraft crash being examined and assessed in the modification licensing procedures for the storage of waste from reprocessing at the on-site interim storage facilities?show / hide

The Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management also examines and evaluates deliberately caused aircraft crashes as part of the modification licensing procedures.

What does the storage of waste from reprocessing in the on-site interim storage facilities mean in terms of protection against terrorist-motivated acts?show / hide

Within the scope of the modification licensing procedures to be carried out in accordance with Section 6 of the Atomic Energy Act, BASE examines whether the required protection against disruptive actions or other third-party interference (SEWD) is ensured. This includes, for example, criminal acts, acts of terrorism and sabotage

Why are the quantities to be returned lower than originally planned?show / hide

The total amount of radioactive waste from the reprocessing plants in France and the UK that the operators of the nuclear power plants must return to Germany is smaller than originally planned. There are several reasons for this:

  • As the transports were terminated, fewer spent fuel elements were delivered to reprocessing plants abroad. Consequently, there is also less waste to be taken back.
  • Due to the contractual agreement between the operators of the nuclear power plants and reprocessing facilities in the UK and France regarding the substitution of low- and intermediate-level waste for an equivalent additional quantity of high-level waste in the form of glass moulds, casings and end pieces must not be taken back as a waste stream. This also leads to a reduction in volume.
  • Production experience facilitated a reduction in the number of containers per tonne of heavy metal.

How many transports will be needed for the waste from reprocessing?show / hide

The number of transports required depends on the plans of the interim storage operators. So far, the assumption is that there will be one transport of radioactive waste from France, and probably two more successive transport campaigns from Great Britain. No information is yet available for the transport of the 30 empty, internally contaminated containers.

When will the transports of the waste from reprocessing take place?show / hide

The next repatriation transport is currently scheduled for the end of 2024. The repatriation of all radioactive waste from abroad is expected to be completed in 2026.

Has the public been informed about the return of waste from reprocessing?show / hide

BASE (formerly BfE) held information events for citizens in both Biblis and Philippsburg in 2018. In addition to BfE as the licensing authority, the operators of the interim storage facilities and the responsible nuclear supervisory authorities of the Länder were available for questions and discussions. BGZ mbH has been responsible for the operation of the interim storage facilities since 2019, and has continued the information series since then.

State of 2023.05.26

© Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management