Germany’s Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) has authorized the transport of nuclear waste from Jülich, North Rhine-Westphalia, to the interim storage facility in Ahaus, Münsterland. The approval, announced Monday, covers the movement of 152 containers.
These containers hold approximately 300,000 fuel element pellets originating from the former Jülich research reactor. The transport permit is valid until August 31, 2027 and has been granted with immediate effect, meaning any legal challenges to the decision will not suspend the authorization. Precise scheduling of the transports will be coordinated with relevant supervisory and police authorities.
The Jülich facility required decommissioning after its operator was unable to provide the necessary safety documentation. An interim storage permit for the Jülich reactor’s inventory has been in place at Ahaus since 2016. Following a dismissal of a legal challenge against this permit by the North Rhine-Westphalia Higher Administrative Court, the transfer of the fuel elements to Ahaus represents the only viable option for their safe storage.