National and international cost aspects of decommissioning and dismantling

The German concept applied for the planning of nuclear power plant decommissioning activities and for cost estimates is accepted also internationally as an exemplary scheme. The decommissioning costs essentially are determined by the factor ''time'', and time under the German concept is a factor primarily influenced by the licensing procedure. In other countries, particularly in the USA, the procedure is much more pragmatic, as much more responsibility lies with the supervising and licensing authorities for aspects such as safety and environmental compatibility, and economically efficient use of public funds in particular. (orig./DG)