Repository search in the Zwickau district: Little suitability for Kirchberg and Callenberg!

Repository search in the Zwickau district: Little suitability for Kirchberg and Callenberg!

As part of the Germany-wide search for a final repository for highly radioactive waste, the Federal Agency for Final Storage (BGE) recently published new interim results. The focus is particularly on the regions of Kirchberg and Callenberg/Limbach-Oberfrohna in the Zwickau district, which were classified in category C due to their geological properties, which means that they are less suitable for a final repository. Press spokesman Sebastian Brückner expressed confidence that, at best, these areas will not remain in the process. This plays a central role for the future security of the population in the region and the representation of the interests of District Administrator Carsten Michaelis, who has already clearly spoken out against a final storage facility in the district. The district administrator emphasizes the commitment to the safety of the population, as the final decision on the siting regions should not be made until the end of 2027, as Radio Zwickau reports.

But how does this classification come about? The interim report on the sub-areas is the first major step towards a final repository in Germany and is based on extensive geological data obtained from various sources such as federal and state authorities. In total, over one million files were collected by the deadline of June 1, 2020, containing information from mining, oil and gas production, and geothermal drilling. This data is crucial for further public participation and the exploration of possible locations, as BGE puts it.

Current status and outlook

In its analysis, the BGE has narrowed down suitable regions for a nuclear waste repository to around 25% of the German state. This is a significant decline, as five years ago 54% of the area was still being considered in the bumpy race for suitable locations. There are still promising options, particularly in northern and southern Germany. The BGE plans to present the location regions for the next steps, in particular above-ground exploration, by the end of 2027.

Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) is also aiming to further accelerate the decision-making process for finding a location. A corresponding draft law is expected to be presented at the beginning of 2026. The key points of these plans are strict geological requirements, such as a 300 meter thick overburden and a host layer of at least 100 meters thick - criteria that are essential for the safety of a final repository. This information is important in order to define the criteria for the future locations and will be carefully analyzed, as ZDF reports.

Security for generations

A central aspect of the search for a final repository is safety. The location should be reliable for a million years and thus protect the population for many generations to come. German nuclear waste is currently lying in 16 above-ground interim storage facilities spread across various federal states, and the STI blockade of the last German nuclear power plants in April 2023 represents an additional challenge.

The past shows that some possible locations such as Gorleben were ruled out as unsuitable five years ago and have now been filled in. This continuous evaluation of the locations ensures that the safety and interests of the population are the top priority in the long term.

Proximity to citizens and the inclusion of society in the decision-making process is of great importance for BGE. It is hoped that active public participation will provide valuable information and the public's trust in the solutions that will ultimately be needed for nuclear waste from more than 60 years of nuclear power.