The site 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.

Preliminary safety investigations

The BGE is conducting representative preliminary safety investigations for all sub-areas mentioned in the interim report. In phase 1 of the procedure, these investigations are based on existing geodata. The BGE is currently developing methods for the preliminary representative safety investigations on the basis of the geodata from four sub-areas with different host rock types.

The BGE presented an initial working version of the methodology in March 2022 and discussed it with the public. An event in June 2022 marked the end of the methodology discussion. The BGE will incorporate the comments and recommendations received from the public expert debate into its further methodological development work.

Progress in narrowing down the sub-areas

As the first phase of the search for a repository site progresses, the BGE will narrow down the identified sub-areas and propose regions for further investigation. To ensure that the BGE's work remains comprehensible and transparent, the BGE plans to publish the status of its work on narrowing down the sub-areas on an annual basis. The first such progress reports will be published on 4 November 2024. They are preliminary and non-binding and are intended to provide an insight into the work of BGE.

BASE will accompany the BGE publication to provide interested parties with the opportunity to thoroughly study the work in progress and to participate in the dialogue. To involve the public, the third forum on the search for a final storage site (22-23 November 2024 in Würzburg and online) is planned to take place shortly after the publication of the progress reports. All interested parties will have the opportunity to learn about the progress reports and discuss them.

Further information on the publication of the progress reports can be found on the website of the BGE.

Review: First milestones

Interim Report on Sub-areas

BGE 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 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 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.

One month after the last consultation meeting, the expert conference on sub-areas submitted the results of its consultations to BGE. BGE 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.

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).