Post-operational phase

The term post-operational phase refers to the period of time following the shutdown of a nuclear reactor (often more generally referred to as a nuclear power plant ). It remains subcritical for a few years as long as a certain amount of decay heat is still generated. During this time, activities for cooling and securing against unauthorized access and the like are still necessary.

Fuel elements are better protected in a nuclear reactor (for example against aircraft crashes) than in a spent fuel pool . They can only be transported away in special safety containers after a few years ; before that, they still generate too much heat.

As part of the German nuclear phase-out after the nuclear disaster in Fukushima , the federal government imposed a nuclear moratorium . This ordered some older German nuclear power plants to be switched off or those that were switched off at the time to be switched off. Eight nuclear power plants - the seven oldest as well as the Krümmel NPP - finally lost their operating license on August 6, 2011 and are now in the post-operational phase.

In general, four years after a reactor has been “shut down” is considered a post-operational phase; this is followed by a decommissioning phase assumed at 15 years of age .

The operator of a nuclear power plant can aim for direct dismantling after decommissioning (also: decommissioning) or carry out a so-called safe enclosure for 30 years in order to then dismantle.

See also

• Decommissioning of nuclear facilities
• List of nuclear reactors in Germany

literature

• Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety , 2001: Criticality analyzes for the post-operational phase of a repository for spent fuel elements . Download, 8.9 MB: bmub.bund.de (January 28, 2013)
• Society for Plant and Reactor Safety Cologne, 1999: Safety in the post-operational phase of repositories for radioactive waste .
• Nuclear Forum Switzerland, November 24, 2011: Decommissioning and disposal: new cost studies published . In: nuklearforum.ch (January 14, 2012)
• W. Brewitz, D. Buhmann, E. Fein, R.-P. Hirsekorn, T. Kühle, U. Noseck, R. Slorck, C. Tix, 1996: Post- operational phase . Download, 3.2 MB: grs.de (January 14, 2012; PDF; 3.3 MB)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Holger Laschka: We are still generating electricity . In: main.de (January 26, 2012)
2. ↑ Federal Office for Radiation Protection : Waste prognoses . In: bfs.de  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (January 26, 2012)