Nuclear waste storage: Neustadt and the surrounding area in the focus of the repository search!

Nuclear waste storage: Neustadt and the surrounding area in the focus of the repository search!

The search for a safe repository for highly radioactive nuclear waste in Germany picks up speed! A new focus is now on the region around Neustadt, Bad Dürkheim, Grünstadt and Gunterblum in Rhineland-Palatinate. These areas are part of the so -called Central German crystal zone and are to be examined for the storage of the nuclear waste, which will shine over a million years. A spokesman for the Federal Society for Final storage (BGE) in Peine confirmed that there is only a small area in Rhineland-Palatinate among the potential locations. The challenges are huge, because the search for a suitable place runs.

Currently only 44 percent of Germany's total area for the final storage, a decrease of 54 percent since 2020. The BGE has already classified 18 percent of the areas examined as unsuitable. While the authority now informs about the current status, the final decision about the locations is expected until 2050. The search for a repository for the 27,000 cubic meters of highly radioactive waste, which is currently stored in 16 above -ground intermediate camps, is of the greatest urgency. The Bundestag will ultimately determine the selected regions for further exploration.

Fewer options, more pressure!

Time is pushing! In recent years, the number of possible locations has decreased drastically. The BGE plans to select specific regions by the end of 2027, which will then be examined in more detail. The pressure on those responsible increases, because the return of the German nuclear waste from abroad, where it was for the reprocessing, is imminent. The return in Castor containers is already in sight. The search for a repository becomes not only a question of security, but also responsibility towards future generations. The clock ticks and the challenges are enormous!