The German company RWE has announced that it has obtained the third and final license from the Bavarian State Ministry of Environment and Consumer Protection to decommission the former Gundremmingen nuclear power plant.
Importantly, the boiling water reactor (BWR) Gundremmingen B, with a capacity of 1,284 MWe, was taken offline on December 31, 2017 after 33 years of operation. For its part, the Gundremmingen C reactor, also a BWR with 1,288 MWe of capacity, closed permanently on December 31, 2021.
Last license to dismantle Gundremmingen
The license for the decommissioning of unit B was granted in March 2019, while the authorization to decommission unit C was granted in May 2021. Since then, several thousand tons of material have been removed, processed and recycled from both reactor buildings, RWE reports.
On the other hand, the most recent permit covers the decommissioning of all plant components that were not included in the previous licenses. This final license was issued on May 28 by the Bavarian Ministry of Environment and Consumer Protection.
Likewise, RWE has stressed that the granting of this permit meets all the requirements for the goal of freeing the plant from nuclear regulatory oversight by the mid to late 2030s. “Obtaining this permit allows us to continue with decommissioning in accordance with the Atomic Energy Law in force and represents a significant milestone in our decommissioning project.“said Heiko Ringel, plant manager of the Gundremmingen plant.
Gundremmingen nuclear power plant decommissioning process
RWE stresses that all decommissioning activities are under the supervision of the regulatory authority, which is supported by independent experts. Plant safety, occupational safety and health protection are top priorities in all operations.
Finally, in December 2021, RWE awarded Westinghouse a contract for the decommissioning of the two reactors at the plant. reactors at the Gundremmingen Gundremmingen plant. Under this contract, Westinghouse will dismantle and package the reactor pressure vessels and their internal components, as well as the adjacent concrete protection structures in units B and C. This work is expected to be completed in 2030.
The decommissioning of the Gundremmingen nuclear power plant represents an important step in Germany’s transition to more sustainable energy sources. This project is an example of how nuclear waste can be managed safely and efficiently and obsolete infrastructure can be decommissioned, minimizing environmental impact and protecting public health.
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Source: worldnuclearnews
Photo: Shutterstock
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