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3 clusters · 21 sources · 16 days · First seen · Last updated

Germany and Switzerland nuclear waste repository planning

Overview

Germany and Switzerland continue to navigate the complexities of selecting sites for high-level nuclear waste repositories. In Germany, the Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (BGE) is refining its search for a single site to replace sixteen interim facilities and safely contain approximately 27,000 cubic meters of waste for one million years.

Recent geological evaluations have significantly narrowed the search area, reducing potential sites to less than five percent of Germany’s total land area. While Saarland and Rheinland-Pfalz were previously ruled out, the states of Berlin, Hessen, and Sachsen have now also been removed from consideration. In Baden-Württemberg, four specific regions have passed initial assessments: the northern and southern Black Forest, the Ulm region, and the Kurpfalz. The BGE aims to propose specific regions for surface exploration to the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) by the end of 2027, with the goal of securing a permanent location by 2050. The final decision on the site will be made by the Bundestag.

Simultaneously, cross-border concerns persist regarding the Swiss proposed site, ‘Nördlich Lägern.’ Located near the German border, the site has prompted discussions between German officials and Swiss planners. During an exchange in Waldshut, NBG Co-Chair Marion Durst emphasized that “transparency and genuine opportunities for public participation are essential for building regional trust.” While the Swiss selection process is viewed as fair by the NBG, local German citizen initiatives, such as ‘Nördlich Lägern ohne Tiefenlager’ (LoTi), continue to express significant concern regarding the facility’s proximity to German communities like Hohentengen.

Entities

Germany · Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung · Baden-Württemberg · Nationales Begleitgremium · Rheinland-Pfalz

Timeline

  1. [POLITICS] 18 sources
    Germany narrows search for nuclear waste repository to 5% of land

    Germany has narrowed the search for a high-level nuclear waste repository to less than 5% of its land area, excluding five federal states from the selection process.

  2. [POLITICS] 3 sources
    Germany evaluates regions for high-level nuclear waste repository

    Germany's BGE will present a nationwide assessment of potential sites for a high-level nuclear waste repository, with several regions in Baden-Württemberg still under consideration.

  3. [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Swiss nuclear waste repository site sparks cross-border discussions

    German and Swiss officials and citizens are discussing cross-border implications of the proposed “Nördlich Lägern” radioactive waste repository located near the German-Swiss border.

Sources

abendblatt.de · allgaeuer-anzeigeblatt.de · caninejournal.com · de.euronews.com · dk-online.de · epochtimes.de · hallo-wippingen.de · kurierverlag.de · lomazoma.com · n-tv.de · nationales-begleitgremium.de · onetz.de · op-online.de · radiobrocken.de · saarbruecker-zeitung.de · supertipp-online.de · swr.de · volksfreund.de · whoradio.com · wochenblatt-reporter.de · www4.mdr.de

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history