International Conference on Advancing the Global Implementation of Decommissioning and Environmental Remediation Programmes CN-238

STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT IN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT (NPP) AND RESEARCH REACTOR (RR) DECOMMISSIONING

24 May 2016, 15:00

3h

Madrid

Poster Decision-making process: societal and stakeholder involvement during the life cycle of decommissioning and environmental remediation projects Session 3 - Poster

Speaker

Dr Gerd Bruhn (Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) gGmbH)

Description

Abstract: Decommissioning of a nuclear power plant (NPP) or a research reactor (RR) in Germany requires a decommissioning license. As part of the licensing procedure a stakeholder involvement is mandatory by applicable laws. The experiences from past and present stakeholder involvement processes during the licensing procedures are presented and the influence of stakeholders on decommissioning projects in licensing and the pre-licensing procedures is discussed. 1. INTRODUCTION To decommission a NPP or a research reactor (RR) it is necessary to apply for a decommissioning license. As part of this licensing procedure a stakeholder involvement is mandatory by applicable laws. There are some examples where either the facility owner or the regulatory body started a stakeholder involvement initiative before a decommissioning license was applied for. 2. LEGAL BACKGROUND The Atomic Energy Act (AtG) [1] states, that to decommission a licensed facility where fission material was generated, handled or fissioned a license for decommissioning is needed. The Nuclear Licensing Procedure Ordinance (AtVfV) [2] regulates the licensing procedure, including the involvement of stakeholders, and the Environmental Impacts Assessment Act (UVPG) [3] determines the implementing of an environmental impact assessment. The AtVfV also rules the announcement and display of documents, the raise of objections and the holding of a hearing. This hearing is an oral, non-public review of objections where stakeholders can explain and state more precisely their timely submitted objections to the regulatory body. After this review the objections are reevaluated and either rejected or have to be considered during the licensing procedure. 3. EXAMPLES In the stakeholder involvement of the licensing procedure for decommissioning of NPP Stade in 2003 only five different objections were submitted. All were rejected by the regulatory body [4]. During the stakeholder involvement of the licensing procedure for decommissioning of NPP Obrigheim in 2008 897 persons objected the construction of the interim storage for spent fuel on-site, but there were no objections against the decommissioning itself [5]. In 2012 a voluntary stakeholder involvement in the licensing procedure for the 3rd decommissioning license of NPP Obrigheim was performed [6]. There were 72 (combined) objections against this license and a huge public discussion. After final shutdown of NPPs Philippsburg 1 and Neckarwestheim I in 2012 two information commissions were established under the initiative of the state government [7] to inform the local stakeholders and address their concerns. Since then there were a number of gatherings of each commission where different aspects were brought to the agenda (e.g. decommissioning strategy, radioactive waste treatment …). After final shutdown of the RR Geesthacht in 2010 the operator initiated in 2012 a dialogue with local stakeholders, parties and NGOs [8]. For this dialogue a renowned mediator was contracted. A small group of different stakeholders and the operator agree on the agenda for the meetings. Different topics were covered until now (e.g. licensing procedure, decommissioning aspects, waste management …). Public involvement for the decommissioning license of NPP Unterweser and for the handling license for construction and operation of an interim storage for radioactive waste is ongoing [9]. Due to the necessary application for a building permit for the construction of the interim storage it was deemed necessary to broaden the stakeholder involvement and publicize the applications for decommissioning license and for the construction in more places and online according to building legislation. 4. CONCLUSIONS Stakeholder involvement as required by Atomic Energy Act is restricted to objections of stakeholders to the application for decommissioning of nuclear installations. The regulatory body has to verify these objections and to take them into consideration in the decommissioning license. Examples of voluntary stakeholder involvement processes exist, which were either initiated by the local administration or the facility owner.