Nuclear Reactors In Germany

Germany has 14 operating Pressurized Water Reactor (Druckwasserreaktor) and 6 operating Boiling Water Reactor (Siedewasserreaktor) Nuclear Power Plants (Kernkraftwerke) with a net capacity of 22237 MWe. Nuclear generated electricity is about 30% of the total.

The International Nuclear Safety Center map below shows the location of operating and shutdown plants.

Courtesy INSC-ANL

The Kernenergie.de map below is similar, but does not show plants shutdown prior to Obrigheim.

Courtesy Kernenergie.de

Manufacturers are Kraftwerke Union (KWU) and Siemens. Obrigheim and Stade (indicated in RED), currently shutdown for decommissioning were supplied by Siemens; the remainder were provided by KWU. The following is a list of the German plants. The table identifies plants, capacity, reactor type, start date, and location. Links in the Utility column go to German sites that provide information about the specific plant. The Informationskreis Kernergie site provides extensive information about nuclear power and the German plants. Included in the knowledge section are topics as - History, The Nuclear Power Plant (including as virtual tour of Isar-2), Radiation Exposure, The Nuclear Fuel Cycle, Waste Management, Dismantling:

 Downloads as annual reports and simulation software programs are also available.

Utility Plant-Unit Max Output (MWe) Type1 Commercial Date1 Location (City-State)1
KWO Obrigheim 357 PWR 1969 Obrigheim, Baden-Württemberg
KKS Stade 672 PWR 1972 Stade, Niedersachsen
GKN-I Neckar 840 PWR 1976 Neckarwestheim, Baden-Württemberg
GKN-II Neckar 1395 PWR 1989 Neckarwestheim, Baden-Württemberg
KKB Brunsbüttel -2 806 BWR 1977 Brunsbüttel, Schleswig-Holstein
KKI-1 Isar -1 907 BWR 1979 Essenbach, Bavaria
KKI-2 Isar -2 1410 PWR 1988 Essenbach, Bavaria
KKU Unterweser 1320 PWR 1979 Rodenkirchen, Niedersachsen
KKP-1 Philippsburg -1 926 BWR 1980 Philippsburg, Baden-Württemberg
KKP-2 Philippsburg -2 1458 PWR 1985 Philippsburg, Baden-Württemberg
KKG Grafenrheinfeld 1345 PWR 1982 Grafenrheinfeld, Bavaria
KKK Krümmel -2 1260 BWR 1983 Geesthacht, Schleswig-Holstein
KRB-B Grundremmingen 1284 BWR 1984 Grundremmingen, Bavaria
KRB-C Grundremmingen 1288 BWR 1985 Grundremmingen, Bavaria
KWG Grohnde 1360 PWR 1985 Emmerthal, Niedersachsen
KBR Brokdorf 1440 PWR 1986 Brokdorf, Schleswig-Holstein
KKE (VEW) Emsland 1363 PWR 1988 Lingen, Niedersachsen
RWE Biblis A 1225 PWR 1975 Biblis, Hessen
RWE Biblis B 1300 PWR 1977 Bilblis, Hessen
RWE Mühlheim-Kärlich 3 1246 PWR 1983 Mühlheim-Kärlich, Rheinland-Pfalz

In June 2000, the German government and the country's four largest electricity producers announced a compromise agreement on the eventual closing of the 19 nuclear power plants currently operating in Germany. Obrigheim was the second to shutdown on May 11, 2005. Biblis A is next, scheduled for February 2007. Global warming agreements (Kyoto) and the recent Russian-Ukrainian dispute over natural gas supplies have called into question whether plants should continue to be shutdown (Die Welt)

The Federal Environment Ministry is charged with regulating traditional environmental areas and safety of nuclear installations, radiation protection, and disposal of nuclear waste .

Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service mbH (GNS) provide radioactive waste management services. Their site (in German) can be translated using the AltaVista service.

Sources for the table include ATW 03/1998 P. 2001, ANS' Nuclear News, ANL's International Nuclear Safety Center Database, and German sites.

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