Ahaus Interim Storage Facility Approved for 152 Castor Transports from Jülich

Approval Granted for Controversial Nuclear Waste Transports

The Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) has officially authorized the transport of 152 Castor containers filled with highly radioactive waste from the former Jülich research reactor to the Ahaus interim storage facility in Germany. This decision, announced on August 25, 2025, paves the way for one of the largest road transports of nuclear waste in recent decades within North Rhine-Westphalia. The containers hold approximately 300,000 fuel element balls from the decommissioned reactor.

Background and Necessity of the Relocation

The relocation of the nuclear waste from Jülich has been a subject of extensive debate for years. The license for the interim storage facility in Jülich expired in 2013, and in 2014, the nuclear regulatory authority of North Rhine-Westphalia ordered the clearance of the facility due to concerns over its ability to withstand significant seismic events. While the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) later assessed the Jülich storage as earthquake-resistant, the federal government decided in 2022 to move the Castor containers to Ahaus as the preferred option. The Ahaus interim storage facility received approval for the storage of the Jülich casks in 2016. A lawsuit filed by the city of Ahaus and a local resident against this storage approval was dismissed by the Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia in December 2024, making the storage permit legally enforceable. The federal government estimates that transporting the waste to Ahaus will save approximately 450 million Euros compared to building a new interim storage facility in Jülich.

The Ahaus Interim Storage Facility

The Ahaus interim storage facility, located in Western Münsterland, has been in operation since 1992 and is designed for the storage of spent fuel elements and waste with negligible heat generation. It is one of two central interim storage facilities in Germany, with a capacity for up to 420 casks. The facility's operating license was extended in 2020 and is now valid until 2057. In light of modern security assessments, the facility has undergone retrofitting, including the construction of an additional protective wall to enhance security against potential interference.

Public Opposition and Safety Concerns

The planned transports have met with strong resistance from local residents and environmental advocacy groups, who have consistently voiced concerns over safety and environmental implications. Anti-nuclear activists and the environmental group BUND have described the plan as 'a mammoth undertaking lasting four to eight years, over crumbling motorways, that makes absolutely no sense.' Critics highlight that the current license for the Ahaus interim storage facility expires in 2036, and a permanent storage solution for high-level radioactive waste in Germany is not anticipated until the turn of the century. Concerns have also been raised regarding the condition of the roads along the approximately 170-kilometer transport route and the security features of the Ahaus facility, which some describe as among the oldest in Germany 'with the thinnest walls.' The North Rhine-Westphalia Police Union (GdP) has also criticized the expected policing efforts as excessive.

Logistics and Future Steps

The transport operation will involve moving the 152 Castor containers via heavy transport vehicles, primarily during nighttime hours. It is confirmed that only one Castor container will be transported per vehicle, indicating a lengthy process. The transport permit granted by BASE is valid until August 31, 2027. However, the exact start date for these operations is yet to be determined, as further coordination is required with local nuclear oversight authorities and the police in North Rhine-Westphalia. The decision to proceed with these transports underscores the ongoing challenges Germany faces in managing its nuclear waste, particularly in the absence of a permanent repository.