The search and selection procedure for a repository for high-level radioactive waste involves all German federal states and regions. The areas are examined for their suitability throughout different phases of the search procedure. Areas are excluded, evaluated and compared, until only the best possible site for a repository remains at the end.

Identification of sub-areas

The site selection procedure is currently in the first of three phases of the search process. The aim of this first phase is to identify sub-areas and siting regions. The first step of phase 1 has already been completed: The company in charge of the search, the Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (BGE) mbH, has collected and evaluated geological data from the Länder and published an initial state of work in the form of the interim report on sub-areas.

In the further course of the first phase of the repository search, BGE mbH will narrow down the identified sub-areas and propose regions which it will then investigate further.

Preliminary safety investigations

In the next work step, BGE mbH will conduct representative preliminary safety investigations for all sub-areas named in the interim report. In phase 1 of the procedure, these investigations will be based on existing geodata. BGE mbH is currently developing methods for the preliminary representative safety investigations based on the geodata from four sub-areas with different host rock types.

Public participation

The Site Selection Act provides for comprehensive participation opportunities in all phases of the search procedure. The first statutory format for public participation took place following the publication of the interim report on sub-areas: the expert conference on sub-areas. The next legally established formats will be the regional conferences and the Council of the Regions expert conference.

Current opportunities for participation

The StandAG does not prescribe any specific participation formats for the period between the sub-areas conference and the regional conferences. For this reason, in autumn 2021, a joint concept for participation up to the regional conferences was developed by BASE, together with representatives of civil society, BGE mbH and the National Citizens’ Oversight Committee (NBG).

Two core participation elements of the concept are the Repository Search Forum and the Repository Search Forum Planning Team. The latter prepares the forum and presents the status of the work for discussion at public meetings. The Repository Search Forum offers the interested public an opportunity to accompany the work of BGE mbH.

Info Tour 2023

First-hand information is available to citizens as part of the Info Tour 2023: BASE provides information about the search for a repository at events and exhibitions at various locations throughout Germany. You can find the dates in our calendar of events (German).

Review: First milestones

Interim Report on Sub-areas

BGE mbH published the interim report on sub-areas in September 2020. This was based on the file study of the geological data available in the Federal Republic. The report was simultaneously made available to the public, BASE and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).

In the interim report, BGE mbH names the areas in Germany which, due to their geology, could be either excluded from the process or considered further, in the company's view. Yet, the report does not represent a final decision. It provides transparency at an early stage of the procedure. This allowed the public to have an initial technical and substantive discussion of the topic, and thus to prepare for further participation formats in the search for a repository.

Expert conference on sub-areas

From February to August 2021, the public expert conference on sub-areas addressed the content of the interim report on sub-areas. BGE mbH had presented this report to the public at an information event in October 2020. Following a three-month reading period, the expert conference provided a platform where citizens and representatives from science and municipalities as well as social organisations had the opportunity to discuss the report with BGE mbH.

One month after the last consultation meeting, the expert conference on sub-areas submitted the results of its consultations to BGE mbH. BGE mbH must consider the results of the consultations when preparing its proposal for the siting regions to be explored above ground.

Online consultation: Interim report on sub-areas

With the kick-off event of the expert conference, BASE made the interim report available on an online consultation platform. All interested parties were invited to submit their questions, comments and criticisms on the interim report until the end of the consultation period on 20 August 2021, regardless of the consultation dates. BASE published all comments and remarks, and forwarded them to the office of the expert conference. The expert conference on sub-areas has decided to include the contributions of the online consultation in its consultation results as part of their work, and has handed them over to BGE mbH.

Further information on the repository search

BASE is continuously developing materials to provide information about the procedure. Animated films and multimedia information services such as the app endlagersuche360° or the virtual exhibition suche:x provide a quick introduction to the topics of repository search and participation (in German).