Permit granted for the second phase of Grohnde decommissioning work.

PreussenElektra has obtained the second and final authorization required for the decommissioning of the Grohnde nuclear power facility in Germany.

The company, a subsidiary of EOn Group, sought permission in October 2017 to decommission the 1,360 MWe pressurized water reactor, which began operations in February 1985 and was shut down in December 2021.

The Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate Protection granted the first permit for decommissioning and dismantling in December 2023, allowing dismantling work to commence the following month.

To date, the dismantling process has involved removing components from the primary cooling system. Concurrently, a newly built waste treatment center has begun operations, where dismantled materials are processed, radiologically measured, cleaned, and, after receiving official approval, either disposed of or recycled. On April 7 of this year, PreussenElektra announced the transfer of all used nuclear fuel assemblies from the storage pool to an on-site interim storage facility, totaling 694 fuel assemblies moved into CASTOR storage casks.

In January 2024, PreussenElektra applied for the second decommissioning permit, which facilitates crucial decommissioning tasks, such as the removal of the reactor pressure vessel and its biological shield.

During a visit to the facility on May 15, Lower Saxony's Minister for the Environment, Energy and Climate Protection, Christian Meyer, formally awarded the second and final permit for the plant’s decommissioning. With this, all necessary permits for the complete dismantling process are secured.

Later this year, one of the most technically challenging phases of decommissioning will commence: the dismantling of the internal components of the reactor pressure vessel. Planning for this phase is underway, with the first cut anticipated for early 2027. The entire project is expected to conclude by mid-2028.

Environment Minister Christian Meyer expressed gratitude to all participants for their efforts on the decommissioning application. He emphasized the importance of safe, transparent, and strictly regulated decommissioning, aiming for a swift and responsible process.

Guido Knott, Chairman of the Management Board of PreussenElektra, noted that with the second permit granted, all legal requirements for systematic dismantling are met. The goal is to execute the dismantling safely, efficiently, and promptly, with the intention of finishing by the mid-2030s to enable future site projects.

A conventional phase of dismantling will occur following clearance from nuclear regulatory oversight, with the Grohnde dismantling expected to complete by 2039, after which the site can be redeveloped.

PreussenElektra oversees the decommissioning of eight nuclear power plants in Germany. Isar 2 was the last to shut down on April 15, 2023, while the Brokdorf and Grohnde plants were closed on December 31, 2021. Alongside previously decommissioned plants like Isar 1, Stade, Unterweser, and Würgassen, all of PreussenElektra's nuclear facilities are in various decommissioning phases. The company aims to dismantle its entire fleet by 2040.