15 years return transport of vitrified high-level waste from France. The long way from La Hague to Gorleben

The operators of German nuclear power plants have contracts since 1977 with the French company AREVA NC (former COGEMA) and since 1980 with the British company NDA (former BNFL) for reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Since July 2005 the delivery of irradiated fuel element into a reprocessing plant is prohibited. Until 2005 fuel elements with about 6.080 tSM were shipped abroad, about 5.309 tSM to France. The contribution deals with the history of the transports from La Hague to Gorleben, including the contamination problems in 1988 that caused restrictions by the German authorities. A catalogue of safety requirements had to be fulfilled for the allowance of further return transports. The development of appropriate transport casks to cope with changing heat generation of the high-level waste is described. During the complete transport cycle extensive radiological measurements were performed. By the end of 2011 the HAW (high-level waste) glass coquilles were completely returned to Gorleben.