SNR-300

F1

Completed reactors ( gross ):

Set planning ( gross ):

The nuclear power plant Kalkar (also known as SNR -300 sodium -cooled fast reactor for ) is a former nuclear power plant in Kalkar on the Lower Rhine, which was completed in 1985 but never went into operation. Because of safety and political concerns, the project was discontinued in 1991. Due to the huge expense of building and the subsequent holding available for a possible later operation, the plant was one of the largest investment ruins of Germany.

Key data

  • Manufacturer: International Atomic Energy GmbH
  • Plant Type: SNR -300 ( breeder reactor )
  • Power: 327 MW
  • Cost: about 7 billion DM (approx. 3.6 billion Euros )

The highest parts of the plant are 93 meters high.

History

Topics

The first "fast" reactor (meaning the speed of the neutrons) was built in 1946 in the United States as a neutron source for research and was named Clementine. These were a reactor technology that is fundamentally different from the built up to graphite-moderated reactors. As well as this, a breeder reactor can not only use the comparatively rare uranium isotope 235U, but also the much more common 238U convert into fissionable plutonium in which he bred more plutonium than it consumes 235U.

The first working on an industrial scale breeder reactor went 1973 in Aktau ( Shevchenko at that time ), USSR, in operation. The nuclear power plant Aktau had a type reactor BN -350, the 150 MW electricity and 200 MW of process heat for the desalination of sea water supplied from the Caspian Sea. The plutonium produced was used for the nuclear weapons program of the Soviet Union and other nuclear power plants.

Since the uranium reserves in the former West Germany were limited ( in eastern Germany was the third largest district in the world ), the proponents of nuclear energy, especially hoped Wolf Häfele, to build a breeder reactor a much more efficient utilization of these stocks so that Germany for an indefinite period could be independent of energy imports for power generation. The first German breeder reactor KNK -I was built in the years 1971 to 1974 in Karlsruhe and converted to a fast breeder called KNK - II 1977. In the fall of 1972, the Belgian- German - Dutch fast breeder nuclear power plant mbH was founded in Essen at the instigation of Heinrich Mandel. This Company commissioned the Siemens subsidiary interatomic with the construction of fast breeder reactor in Kalkar.

Construction phase

The planned first of RWE Weisweiler near Aachen, in addition to the local lignite power plant, had to appeal to the federal government abandoned in 1971: Because of the high population density in the region of Aachen, a breeder there appeared to be risky, and RWE had to resort to the less densely populated Kalkar. The foundation stone was laid on 25 April 1973. Soon came to criticism on power plant construction. 1974 took place in Kalkar a demonstration with several thousand participants, mostly from the Netherlands instead. In 1976, Klaus Traube, head of the interatomic 20-year career in the nuclear industry, dismissed on information disclosure to opponents of nuclear power and sympathy for the RAF suspicion after an illegal wiretap Protection of the Constitution and entered common in open opposition to the project and the use of nuclear energy.

1977 there was a large demonstration in Kalkar, when 40,000 people took to the streets. The police presence for this purpose is considered the largest in the history of the Federal Republic.

In the light of the sinking of the nuclear power plant at Three Mile Iceland in the U.S. in the reactor core partially melted in 1979, and the burgeoning anti - nuclear movement have been expressed more and more concerns. So said the later Minister of the Environment of the Saarland, Jo Leinen (SPD ) that at some point you must export for reasons of profitability and the technology. Since you, also can produce nuclear bombs with plutonium, in contrast to the low-enriched uranium of conventional reactors, one would as countries gain access to atomic bombs that so far none have.

In addition to this objection but there were mainly security concerns. A reactor of this type is difficult to control and mountains thus more dangers. In particular, could a nuclear runaway, the Bethe - Tait accident, not be excluded. In addition, one used for cooling liquid sodium, which is chemically very aggressive and reacts violently with water.

The opponents of the project applicable constitutional complaint before the Federal Constitutional Court. The Enquete Commission of the German Parliament obtained a four-year interruption of construction. Tighter security requirements, the concerns should be allayed. This project was, however, also becoming more expensive. In 1969, the reactor should be built at a fixed price of 500 million mark until 1972, the price had risen to 1.7 billion marks. Now it cost a total of 7 billion dollars, which is more than four times the price in 1972, and even fourteen times the original price of 1969. 1978 waved the government of North Rhine -Westphalia, at this time a coalition of SPD and FDP, on an anti- nuclear Power course to. They kept the energy policy reasons for an introduction to the plutonium economy is not sufficient. As a result, the partial construction permit was blocked by the Minister Horst Ludwig Riemer (FDP). This triggered a crisis.

The protests radicalized itself increasingly at the beginning of the 1980s.

Police cordon at the big demonstration, 1977

Anti -nuclear demonstration in Kalkar, 1979

" Anti-nuclear village" in front of the power station, 1981

Anti -nuclear demonstration in Kalkar, 1982

Completion, commissioning and final Not From

Eventually, the building was completed in 1985. The liquid sodium circulated now in the cooling circuit and had to be kept warm with electric heating elements so as not to solidify. The reactor was now ready to use in principle. Immediately fell per year DM 105 million ( EUR 54 million ) in operating costs.

However, the state of North Rhine -Westphalia refused the operating license, against the wishes of the then Federal Government. The federal government would have an after nuclear transfer by law to enforce the permit, but did not want to assume sole responsibility for the safety SNR controversial project. Responsible for the building permits NRW Social and Labour Minister Friedhelm Farthmann held the commissioning for non- acceptable, as the risks were not calculable. The former construction permits had been issued only with reservations. The fuel could not be placed in the reactor core. After the election Farthmann resigned from the government, and the responsibilities for licensing was transferred to Reimut Jochimsen (SPD ) from the Ministry of Economy. It remained at the previously chosen course to hinder the reactor start-up and against the wishes of the then Christian-Liberal government. It brought the country to the available resources were used: Jochimsen underwent lengthy tests the applications that were formally correct, in the opinion of SNR advocates but the whole process as long protracted until the From the reactor was more or less inevitable.

The power company was not so much interested in a start-up, since the power consumption in West Germany had risen more slowly than they had originally expected. In addition, the uranium reserves were larger than expected. So there was no compelling reason to bring the nuclear reactors online quickly. As a result of the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, the atmosphere turned to face the final reactor. Since it would be in the case of a start-up to the radioactive contamination of plant components that would result in the case of early decommissioning as in the high-temperature reactor in Hamm to high restoration costs and would preclude continued use of the building, announced Federal Research Minister Heinz Riesenhuber on 21 March 1991 the final out for the power plant.

The mega project was thus become one of the largest investment ruins of Germany.

SNR -2

In the original plans another breeder reactor was being considered. The fast sodium- cooled reactor 2 (short- SNR -2) should initially have a projected gross capacity of 2,000 megawatts and would thus become the largest nuclear reactor in the world. The early 1980s, the plans were changed and the envisaged performance initially, reduced to 1600 MWe to 1500 MWe later. The net output should be 1380 megawatts. The construction should begin a few years after the commissioning of the SNR -300. Since this has not been put into operation, and the SNR -2 was not realized. Different reportedly Kalkar was not yet established as a location for the SNR -2.

Dismantling of the plant

A demolition of the building would have cost 75 million euros, which did not come for economic reasons in question. They started with the slow sales of the new and never used equipment and machinery.

The current supplied by Alkem Nukem and first reactor core, which was never used, was by 2005 in state custody in Hanau. Owner of the core was the RWE Power AG, however, had no license for dealing with the enriched to about 35 % plutonium fuel share. The plutonium was integrated into the reprocessing plant at La Hague in France in so-called MOX fuel, which may be used in conventional nuclear power plants.

Re-use of the building

The building itself was offered by newspaper advertisement. Eventually, the Dutch investor Hennie van der Most bought the land and converted it to the amusement park Wunderland Kalkar (up to early 2005 core water wonderland called ) around. There is an all -inclusive hotel with 1,000 beds and meeting rooms. The purchase price of the land, including buildings to have unsafe reportedly amount to 2.5 million euros - a tiny proportion of the built property value. Currently be expanded and utilized the iron parts of the plant. The amusement park will continue to expand. A tour of the main building is since 2003 no longer possible due to the recovery.

Data of the reactor units

In Kalkar nuclear power station was a reactor under construction, another was planned:

Protest songs

As part of the protests against the construction and commissioning of the reactor also some protest songs were written. Bauer Maas ': On the symbolic figure while the farmer Maas Hönnepel was. Songs against nuclear energy ", various artists, inter alia, Walter Moss Man; LP (pass op Verlag) 1979.

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