Drei Monate nach Abschaltung der letzten Kernkraftwerke in Deutschland: TÜV NORD-Experte erklärt Rückbau

Three months after the last German nuclear power plants - Emsland, Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim 2 - were taken off the grid, decommissioning and waste disposal have become more of a focus than ever. Detlef Beltz, Head of Decommissioning and Dismantling at TÜV NORD and Head of the Decommissioning Committee at the Nuclear Waste Management Commission (ESK), an expert body that advises the Federal Environment Ministry on nuclear waste management issues, explains exactly how decommissioning works and how long it will take. The content can be listened to and read as a podcast episode and article in TÜV NORD's online magazine #explore.

The long road to a greenfield site first requires approval. TÜV experts, such as Detlef Beltz, examine corresponding applications on behalf of the approval authority. Even then, the operator is not allowed to simply demolish everything, explains Beltz: “All major dismantling projects require the approval of the authorities and are checked by our experts: For example, we check on site whether radiation protection is guaranteed and whether the crane systems are working safely and reliably. We also look at which specific tools and methods are to be used for which mining measures.” At #explore, the TÜV NORD expert also looks at what happens to the dismantled materials. If they are proven to be below the applicable limit values and pose no danger to people or the environment, they could be reused in road construction, for example. TÜV NORD also examines in particular how the radioactive waste produced is handled and whether it meets the conditions for a final repository once it has been treated. Dismantling as a whole is a lengthy process which - even if everything runs smoothly - could easily take ten to 15 years, Beltz points out.

Find out more in the online magazine #explore: The long road to the greenfield | #explore (tuev-nord.de)

#explore is a digital journey of discovery into a world that is changing at a rapid pace. Increasing networking, innovative technologies and all-encompassing digitalization are creating new things and turning the familiar upside down. But this also harbors dangers and risks: #explore shows a safe way through the networked world. Founded in 2016, the TÜV NORD GROUP's online magazine is published in German and in an English language version. The content is created by an external editorial team from STUDIOZX in close cooperation with the TÜV NORD GROUP.

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