Genesis, status quo and future of interim storage of irradiated fuel elements and highly radioactive waste in Germany

The current state of interim storage of irradiated fuel assemblies and high-level radioactive waste (HAW) from nuclear technology and, in particular, from nuclear power generation since 1961 is heterogeneous, unsystematic and fragmented. There are three differently used central interim storage facilities and 12 decentralized interim storage facilities. At some of the (former) sites, irradiated fuel assemblies from another site are stored. In another, solidified highly radioactive fission product solution from reprocessing from abroad. Two other sites are also to receive such waste, and a third, following a swap deal with France, is also to receive highly radioactive fission product solution instead of intermediate-level fission product solution, as had been planned in the meantime. In addition, there is still the AVR cask storage facility in Jülich for the spent ball fuel elements of this prototype. Two of these 16 facilities no longer have valid licences, but only tolerations from the authorities. The interim storage facility is thus in good German tradition, but its structure is reminiscent of Samuel Pufendorf's description of the constitution of the Holy Roman Empire as an "irregulare aliquod corpus et monstro simile", i.e. an irregular body similar to a monster. Like the imperial constitution, interim storage is not the result of a planning concept, but rather of the historical development, one could also say the trials and tribulations of German nuclear energy and waste management policy. In addition to the actual change of framework conditions over the decades, this policy development is also decisively shaped by the confrontation with fundamentalist opposition to nuclear energy and the political (evasive) reactions to it.