The THTR Circulars from 2008

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THTR Circular No. 124 Dec. 2008

Castor stop in Gorleben: if you weren't there, you've missed a lot!

From Hamm we drove to Münster by car at 6 a.m., where two buses from Ahaus stopped and picked us up. Now there were 120 people who enjoyed the journey in the double-decker bus with anticipation.

The closer we got to Wendland, the more lonely the area became. Every five or ten kilometers between fields and forests we saw a small village with one to three dozen houses. Those who live here have obviously made a very conscious decision to go to this place and defend their homeland with determination and perseverance. On houses and in gardens not only the yellow X-crosses could be seen, but whole groups of dressed-up straw dolls with posters and banners commented on the prevailing nuclear policy and emphasized the region's will to resist. 

The closer we got to Gorleben, the more police checkpoints there were at the intersections and the traffic became slow. Now we already suspected that we would be significantly more than two years ago. 16.000 people. The asset scandal and the impending renaissance of nuclear power made it possible. In the small village of Gorleben we went to the bus parking lot at walking pace. Get out, into the fray and go to the opening rally. It was amazing how diverse the protests were. People in disguise and made-up could be seen everywhere; a drum group on every corner and, above all, an incredible number of young people. The day before the traditional school demonstration took place in Wendland. Our old friends from Ecodefence from Russia, who are fighting against the NRW transport of nuclear waste from Gronau to Siberia, were of course there too. Because here you get strength, courage and suggestions for the coming disputes all over the world!

Almost everyone held an original self-made poster or symbol in their hands, always from a special point of view. Banners hung in the trees and various climbers were already rehearsing an emergency. 400 tractors along the way were the most powerful demonstration. The "rural emergency community" has been part of the movement's backbone for decades. Ancient Syfried police caricatures demand "Occupiers out of the Wendland!"

Posters call for special actions in the next hours and days: The "conspiracy of the dwarves" meets in Hitzacker! Theater groups performed small pieces and the inevitable police stood by the wayside hundreds of times. A young policewoman was asked by reporters about her expectations and replied: "I'm really excited about the clown army. What they are doing ..." and she smiled. - Yeah, what does a clown army do? Nothing but nonsense. Just like the police, who mostly carricature her, stand next to her and imitate her movements with exaggerated gestures. And of course - important, important - carrying nuclear waste barrels back and forth.

Many are busily engaged in encouraging each other for the coming arguments and in creating a relaxed mood. Suddenly Bernd shouts "Oh dear, a whole bunch of green celebrities! First secure the operation of nuclear facilities in the government in the medium term until the nuclear industry can come up with a new strategy and now that! How dare they appear here like that ?!" - Indeed, almost the entire parliamentary group and around one to two hundred people with green flags dominated an entire section of the demonstration. "And we all left our black flags at home, that stupid thing ..." he annoyed. The Wendlanders took the green pre-election campaign more calmly. They had more important things to do. Years ago, many green groups disbanded here and converted into the independent "Green List Wendland", that's it.

The available free space in front of the nuclear waste storage facility was almost too small for the arriving people, so that there was a great crush at the final rally. The nuclear waste octopus fought its way to the stands. An action theater group slowly dragged itself forward as impressively dressed up apocalyptic riders - and young people repeatedly drew attention to themselves with their colorful protest. Now it was clear that from today a new chapter could be written in the anti-nuclear movement: Our own renaissance as a strengthened movement.

On the way back along the tractor parade, five-year-old children slowly walked home through the dusk with colorful resistance lanterns. Past the main entrance of the nuclear camp, where the traditional sit-in had already begun for the next two days. We bought X-biscuits for the way back and the mandatory Wendenpass: "This pass is valid as long as its holder can still laugh." The doors of many neighboring farmhouses were open so that tired demonstrators could take a rest. But hardly anyone was really tired that day, because three more eventful days of resistance followed. Next time we'll be back and take even more time!

The nuclear phase-out is still a valid agreement in the Federal Republic of Germany. Nevertheless, research into atomic energy continues. Especially on high temperature reactors. With this reactor line, its inventors and further developers are counting on the very worst - as far as safety is concerned.

The Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen makes a virtue out of this need and creates jobs for itself in order to somehow remedy this glaring shortcoming. That is why two promoters can grit their teeth on the following topics in the future:

1. Investigations into the release of fission products from an HTR in the event of a pressure relief accident
2. Extension of the simulation possibilities for accidents in HTR by coupling the computer programs DIREKT and COCOSYS and integrating system-technical components

We were told again and again how safe Generation IV reactors are. The critical Moormann study, which was published this year within Forschungszentrum Jülich, relegates such claims to the realm of legends, so that our THTR friends from Jülich and Aachen cannot help but admit the following in their job description:

"However, there are also accident scenarios at HTR that still require an intensive investigation. This includes the problem of pressure relief of the primary circuit through one or more leakages on their behavior in a plant building. The mobilization of the dust formed during reactor operation and its loading with radioactive substances (fission and activation products, actinides) are of particular importance. "

A so-called "Nuclear Technology Colloquium" takes place at RWTH so that the students stay fit for the tasks ahead, which are linked to the rapid acceleration of nuclear research. In this completely "neutral" course, the following nuclear companies have the say within this state institution: RWE, Westinghouse, Areva, Babcock-Noell, Society for Nuclear Service (GNS). - Oh yes, the Federal Environment Ministry is even allowed to say something: "Guaranteeing nuclear safety in the political field of tension". But we're excited about that. And of course, Forschungszentrum Jülich will be present on February 3, 2 with its favorite topic: "Status of international developments in" Generation IV "reactor systems". A peculiar topic in an exit country.

In addition, the students in the field of energy technology and the specialization in reactor safety and technology have the opportunity to write study or diploma theses on interesting and meaningful topics. Also in direct cooperation with the nuclear industry:

- Extreme reactivity accidents (reactivity behavior of water reactors and high temperature reactors in the event of extreme accidents, e.g. in the event of the ingress of foreign media, failure of the shutdown systems).
- Technology of the use of high-temperature reactors for the generation of electricity and process heat (e.g. combined heat and power for district heating and process steam supply, tertiary oil production by steam flooding).

During these days another highlight for HTR friends took place: From November 18 to 21, 2008, Euratom organized the 3rd Eurocourse seminar in Aix en Provence / Cadarache. Here, within the framework of the EU, sixty selected people can be brought up to date with the latest research on HTR development. With this reactor line from the nuclear phase-out Germany, something new is always happening ...

While every diploma thesis and every new knowledge of nuclear HTR research is presented and celebrated as quickly as possible at this university of applied sciences, the scripts for competing alternative energy are eight years old and in many cases still operate with data from the 70s and 80s. With the rapid current development in this area, from the Stone Age. Neglecting alternative energy and giving preference to nuclear energy are only two sides of the same coin in the "nuclear phase-out country"!

With a delay of almost half a year, the NRW Ministry of Finance has submitted its report "State of the art, cost development, dismantling THTR Hamm-Uentrop". The "Siemelkamp NIS Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH" carried out this study on behalf of the THTR operating company HKG.

As early as 1994, a study came to the conclusion that dismantling would result in total costs of 305 million euros. "These planning data were looked at again in an updated study." - Look! And then "re-rated". At the 2007 price level, it now costs 347,10 million euros. - But until the planned final dismantling of the THTR in 2044 it will certainly be much more expensive.

The provisional, provisional total bill for 423 days of electricity from the THTR looks like this - according to some embellished information from the nuclear power plant supporters, mind you - as follows:

2,045 billion construction costs
2,390 billion THTR research (1)
0,425 billion set-aside + inclusion by 2009
0,112 billion euros inclusion by 2030
0,3471 billion euros dismantling between 2030 and 2044
5,3191 billion euros in total

Added to this are the THTR research costs in Switzerland and, above all, the final storage costs from 2044 to all eternity. The new study expects a total of 5.997 m3 of radioactive waste.

But how valid are these details and the forecasted 347,1 million euros for the dismantling in view of our previous experience with the nuclear industry? The still unfinished dismantling of the twenty times smaller THTR in Jülich is characterized by a "desolate course of the project", according to the Federal Ministry of Research. There the costs will at least quintuple to well over 400 million euros. One reason for this is significantly higher contamination than was calculated in advance, because a lot of radioactive graphite dust was distributed in the system. This is what the Jülich scientist Moormann found in his latest study.

It will be similar with the Hammer Pleite-THTR. Since the operators did not compile a nuclide atlas about the facility after the THTR was shut down, unpleasant surprises may be waiting for the demolition command. The NRW Ministry for Economics, Medium-Sized Enterprises and Technology confirmed to BI environmental protection in a letter on August 28, 1992 that 17.000 fuel elements in the THTR were damaged at this time and that a further 5.000 can be expected during the reactor unloading (2). A single fuel element contains tens of thousands of highly radioactive microspheres and graphite dust, which according to the FZJ scientist Moormann was in any case very "mobile" in the Jülich THTR.

The engineering group that has now been commissioned has merely "re-examined" the old cost calculations and shifted a few columns of numbers back and forth in their abstract calculations. They are not reliable assumptions. Even the NRW Ministry does not want to embarrass itself any more than is absolutely necessary and writes: "Basically, it can be stated that the present report is one that was commissioned and submitted by the operator. The costs determined over approx. EUR 347,1 million seem rather optimistic. "

From the start of construction in 1971 to the presumed completion of the dismantling in 2044, the THTR only supplied 423 days of electricity and caused at least 5,3191 billion euros in costs. A day of THTR electricity cost around 12,5 million euros. This is still the optimistic version. In reality, things are going to get a lot worse. The construction costs for the THTR have increased almost sixfold from the originally assumed 350 million euros to 2,045 billion euros. In the case of the THTR, these are quite obviously the relationships between the promise of predictions and reality.

In the future there will be heavy haggling over who has to bear the costs. In addition, the cost agreement for the annual decommissioning operating costs of 5,6 million euros will expire at the end of 2009. So it really starts next year. And the fundamental argument about the planned dismantling of the THTR Hamm has started. We shall come back to this subject often.

Notes:
1. atw 1/2004, page 10
2. In mid-1987, 8.000 damaged bullets were discussed in the media. A number that we also adopted at the time. According to the NRW Ministry from 1992, things got much worse.

Before the year 2035, there will be no repository for highly radioactive waste in Germany. That said Federal Environment Minister Gabriel at the from his Ministry (BMU) from 30. 10. - 1.11. organized international repository symposium in Berlin.

Around 350 experts from science and authorities, from energy suppliers, environmental associations and citizens' groups were invited and spent 3 days discussing the requirements for safe disposal. The citizens' initiative "No nuclear waste in Ahaus" was also represented at the congress by Felix Ruwe and Hartmut Liebermann.

"For Ahaus, the minister's statement means that the 40-year storage permit for the BZA cannot under any circumstances be complied with: at least for the THTR fuel elements stored from 1992 onwards, it will end in 2032", comments Hartmut Liebermann. As the minister went on to explain, even the target year 2035 can only be achieved in the most optimistic case, namely when the investigation and approval of the salt dome in Gorleben can be brought to a positive conclusion without any problems or delays.

However, it was precisely this that was doubted by the overwhelming majority of the participants at the symposium. It also became clear that Germany's route of searching for a repository up to now is internationally outdated: In the 70s, without examining alternatives, they decided to focus solely on the host rock salt and, with Gorleben, to only choose a single location for a repository; the public concerned was not included in this selection process. (Press release of the BI "No nuclear waste in Ahaus" from November 3rd, 11)

The nuclear-critical doctors' organization IPPNW protests against the fact that appropriate information for the people concerned in the area is delayed up to 50 km around German nuclear power plants.

The detailed justification of the radiation protection commission for the childhood cancer study, which had been announced for December 2008 for a long time, was canceled by the Federal Environment Ministry.

As early as December 2007, after the widely acclaimed study on childhood cancer around nuclear power plants (KiKK study) had been published, Federal Environment Minister Gabriel avoided drawing conclusions from the explosive study results. Instead, he instructed the Radiation Protection Commission (SSK) to check the results again, which was given over 9 months to do so. After this deadline had expired, the SSK only published a short version of a statement in October 2008 without giving sufficient and detailed reasons. A publication of this reason was then announced - again delayed - for December 16.12.08, XNUMX and will now be postponed again into the next year.

"You have to keep in mind that the implementation of the childhood cancer study alone was delayed by at least 2 years. Although the study was decided in 2001, it was not published until the end of 2007 due to various organizational tactics," said Reinhold Thiel, who in 2001 with the help of a successful press and publicity campaign was instrumental in the fact that the KiKK study was commissioned by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection.

The IPPNW demands that the Federal Environment Ministry immediately and appropriately inform the affected population. "It is unacceptable that the education of the affected people about worrying findings and increased child cancer rates in the vicinity of the nuclear power plants, which were already recognizable in 2001 and which the child cancer study has now proven, is delayed", says the chairwoman of the IPPNW, Dr . Angelika Claussen. "We are not allowed to leave this information behind the closed doors of the SSK or other authorities. The confusion caused by trivial details and the trivializing of the results must also come to an end."

Sonntag 21.12.2008 starts at 14 pm in front of the interim storage facility Ahaus the traditional Advent Sunday walk. It is planned to walk around the facility to the level crossing on the private track. There, the Münster district government is currently pumping 116 euros into the renewal of the BZA track - that is, public structural aid for the BZA and the next transport of nuclear waste to Ahaus!

Fri. January 16.01.2008, XNUMX: "Climbing endangers the nuclear state". Event with the nuclear-critical climbing artist "Squirrel" Cécile Lecomte in Münster um 19 pm in ESG (Beul) by the magazine "Graswurzelrevolution" and SOFA. Cécile has roped over the railroad tracks several times in the Münster and Wendland regions in order to stop nuclear transports.

Thursday February 05.02.2009th, XNUMX: Demo against the winter conference of the Atomic Forum,  Berlin, Hotel Maritim proArte One of the first actions for 2009 will accompany the winter conference of the German Atomic Forum, the lobby association for the nuclear industry. Together with the online network "Campact" we want to make the arguments of the anti-nuclear movement visible on large posters around the conference location in Berlin-Mitte. Almost 700 slogans have already been submitted against the nuclear lobby. Add your own sayings or rate and improve the previous suggestions:
www.ausgestrahlt.de

25.04.2009: National demonstration and rally in Münster for the Chernobyl anniversary.

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