VAK Kahl - decommissioning and demolition continued under new auspices

The Kahl experimental nuclear power station (VAK), the first German nuclear power plant, was decommissioned after 25 years of operation (1961 to 1985). The BWR plant generated approx. 2 million kWh of electricity in 150,000 hours of operation at a gross power of MWe. After the operator, VAK GmbH, had filed an application for decommissioning, the first of four decommissioning permits was issued in 1988. The plant is to be demolished completely so that the site will no longer be within the scope of the Atomic Energy Act. By 2001, demolition work covered by the first decommissioning permit had been finished, also the 2nd and 3rd decommissioning permits had largely been completed, and work under the 4th decommissioning permit had been begun. To acquire technical and organization experience and know-how, the decommissioning and demolition phases are accompanied by research and development work carried out by the operators and by VAK shareholders RWE and E.ON. After the bulk of the work had been completed, the radioactive inventory had been removed from the plant, and the end of the project was in sight, RWE NUKEM GmbH was commissioned to carry on. The main objectives now are speedy completion of the jobs still to be finished, further development for other projects of the know-how acquired, and job protection. The main work still to be carried out includes dismantling of systems no longer needed and of the biological shield as well as decontamination of building structures accompanied by the clearance of buildings and open areas for subsequent conventional demolition. The waste arising will be packaged in accordance with its classification, and will be removed into interim storage or managed in the conventional way. The project is to be completed in the 3rd quarter of 2006. (orig.)