Heidelberg in sight: Will nuclear waste soon be stored here?

Heidelberg in sight: Will nuclear waste soon be stored here?

There is news from Baden-Württemberg in the debate about the final storage of nuclear waste. The Federal Agency for Final Storage (BGE) is currently examining several regions, including the area around Heidelberg, as potential locations for the long-term storage of highly radioactive waste. This was reported by Heidelberg24. The BGE has narrowed down the possible areas to around 25 percent of the total German area, based on geological conditions and previously missing assessments.

Other suitable locations are also being sought in Baden-Württemberg, including the Alb-Donau district and areas between Lautenbach and Bad Wildbad. Interestingly, the area with areas that have not yet been examined extends primarily into northern Germany, whereas last year the experts had considered 44 percent of the country's area, which shows that the focus has changed. Although the BGE is focused on finding suitable locations, the aim is to identify the regions that are suitable for above-ground exploration by the end of 2027.

A steadfast plan until 2050

The final selection of locations is ultimately made by the legislature. The BGE sees it as important that it is clear by 2050 at the latest where the storage facilities for around 27,000 cubic meters of highly radioactive nuclear waste will be built. This waste has accumulated over 60 years of nuclear power use in Germany and is currently stored in 16 above-ground interim storage facilities. An end to nuclear energy has already been in force since April 2023, which increases the pressure on the responsible authorities to make significant progress in the search for a final storage facility.

Environment Minister Thekla Walker recently emphasized that many areas in Baden-Württemberg will probably be eliminated as final repositories and has advocated speeding up the selection process. It calls for a sound, scientific approach to determine the best options for final repositories. This is supported by Tagesschau, which points out that the geological conditions are now considered suitable for underground storage, particularly in rock formations such as rock salt, clay rock or granite.

Geological conditions and safety

BGE chairwoman Iris Graffunder is optimistic that Germany has good geological formations for final storage. Volcanic activity and earthquake risks must also be excluded in order to ensure long-term safety of up to a million years. It has now also been determined that large parts of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse and Saarland are unsuitable as repository locations due to a lack of rock layers.

The next steps include the development of a draft law to optimize the site selection process, which is due to be presented in early 2026. So while the search for a final location moves into the next phase, it remains to be seen how the landscape of possible final repositories will develop in the coming years.