Second quarter of 2000
Agreement between the Federal Government and the Power Supply Companies of 14 June 2000.
[Excerpt]
English translation by the German Government, 22 June 2000[Posted 27/06/2000]
IV. Disposal of nuclear waste
1. Interim storage sites
The power companies shall construct interim storage sites as quickly as possible at the locations of the nuclear power plants or in their vicinity. Joint efforts shall be undertaken to find ways of creating temporary storage facilities at these locations before the interim storage site are put into operation.
2. Nuclear fuel reprocessing
The disposal of radioactive waste from the operation of nuclear power plants shall be limited to direct final storage as of 1 July 2005. Up until that point in time transports for the purpose of nuclear fuel reprocessing shall be permitted. Supplied quantities may be processed. Reprocessing shall require prior proof of the unharmful use of the reprocessing products to be taken back.
In dealings with their international partners the power companies shall avail themselves of all acceptable contractual remedies to terminate reprocessing at the earliest possible point in time.
The federal government and the power companies assume that the residual amounts can be transported in the amount of time provided. They also assume that the licensing procedures for transports for reprocessing purposes can be completed by the summer of 2000 if the legislative prerequisites are in place.
Should it be the case that it is not possible to complete the process of reprocessing on time for reasons for which the power companies are not responsible, then both sides shall seek appropriate solutions early on.
3. Transports
As long as the relevant legislative prerequisites are in place the power companies shall be able to transport spent fuel elements to regional interim storage sites until the respective local interim storage sites are put into operation as well as out of the country until reprocessing is terminated. Both sides assume that the local interim storage sites will be ready for use in a period five years at most. The federal government, the state governments, and the power companies shall jointly create a standing coordination group for the purpose of carrying out transports. Its tasks shall include cooperation with federal and state law enforcement agencies.
Decision
to end reprocessing in Germany but action delayed
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