Possible Areas for Nuclear Waste Repository Further Narrowed Down

Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Disposal Presents Results

Deep Geological Repositories Planned

The Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Disposal (BASE) has further narrowed down the possible areas for a nuclear waste repository in Germany. In a press conference on Wednesday, BASE President Wolfram König presented the results of the latest investigations.

According to König, the search for a suitable site for a deep geological repository is now focused on 52 partial areas in nine regions of Germany. These areas were selected based on geological, technical, and safety criteria.

In the next step, further investigations will be carried out in the partial areas to determine their suitability for the construction of a repository. This will include drilling boreholes and conducting geological, hydrological, and geochemical tests.

The aim is to select a site for the repository by the end of the 2030s. The repository is intended to store high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants and research facilities.

Background

Germany has been searching for a suitable site for a nuclear waste repository for decades. The search was initially focused on salt formations, but these plans were abandoned in 2010 due to safety concerns.

Since then, the focus has been on deep geological repositories in crystalline rock. These repositories are considered to be safer than salt formations because they are less likely to be affected by earthquakes or other geological events.

Controversy

The search for a nuclear waste repository has been controversial from the beginning. Opponents of the project argue that it is too risky and that there is no guarantee that the waste will be safely stored for thousands of years.

Proponents of the project argue that it is necessary to find a permanent solution for the storage of nuclear waste. They point out that the waste is currently stored in temporary facilities that are not designed to last for thousands of years.

Next Steps

The further narrowing down of the possible areas for a nuclear waste repository is a significant step forward in the search for a permanent solution for the storage of nuclear waste in Germany.

The next steps will involve further investigations in the partial areas to determine their suitability for the construction of a repository. The aim is to select a site for the repository by the end of the 2030s.