Construction of Asse 5 shaft pushes back retrieval

In 2020, the Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (BGE) presented the retrieval plan – an initial planning concept that outlined how the numerous different steps involved in recovering radioactive waste from the Asse II mine were to be implemented. Since then, the BGE has pushed ahead with planning and is now presenting the results, which primarily show which steps can be carried out in parallel and which can only be carried out sequentially. 
Based on the insights gained over the past 10 years and the advanced planning, the key finding is that the construction of the Asse 5 shaft, including the associated winding apparatus, is the deadline-critical subproject of the retrieval operation. Without a functioning shaft, it will not be possible to proceed with the necessary underground work for the retrieval mine and for the technical areas near the emplacement chambers. An operational Shaft 5 is also essential for transporting the machinery and tools – which will have been fully developed and approved for the corresponding purpose by that time – down into the mine. 

What has the BGE achieved in relation to retrieval since 2020? 

The BGE has put out to tender and awarded contracts for all the planning measures listed in the 2020 retrieval plan at the Europe-wide level. All preliminary planning has been completed. Work is currently underway on design planning and initial planning for licensing. In parallel with retrieval planning, the BGE has commissioned the experimental development of the tooling needed for recovery. 
The past few years have been characterised by extensive exploratory work aimed at better evaluating the geology and assessing the risks. Seismic exploration of the Asse took several years, and the BGE recently published the final report on this work. The primary aim of the 3D seismic survey was to create a 3D (structural) geological model of the overburden. Work is still underway on that objective, but the location of the shaft has been decided. The final exploratory borehole for the shaft location (Remlingen 18) was completed in mid-2024. The plots of land in the area around the Asse 5 shaft were acquired previously. 
The BGE has coordinated the complex legal framework for applications pursuant to section 57b of the Atomic Energy Act with the licensing authority. Consequently, the overall project is to be divided into four application complexes, while other legal areas are to be consolidated within the framework of nuclear law (planning law, mining law and exemptions from requirements under the Federal Nature Conservation Act and the regulations on landscape conservation areas). The BGE made the first licence application on 30 June 2025.
A territorial impact assessment has been completed for the overall project. The BGE worked with an environmental consultant to draw up and submit the documentation for the assessment of the surface installations for retrieval. The procedure, including the consultation meeting, was carried out by the Braunschweig Office for Regional Development. The result is that retrieval is compatible with the surrounding environment, provided certain conditions are met. 
Moreover, through its exploration of the emplacement chambers, the BGE has gained a better understanding of the condition of the radioactive waste that is to be retrieved from the Asse II mine. The consequence analyses used to calculate the radiological impact in the event of an uncontrollable influx of solution are now being carried out based on much better data. The pit model has been updated, the overburden model has been rebuilt according to the results of the 3D seismic survey, and the biosphere model has also been recreated based on new calculation methods. Among other things, the consequence analyses provide important guidance for prioritising emergency planning measures and for the retrieval process. 
 

Why retrieval cannot begin in 2033 

The 2020 retrieval plan was a concept that, in many respects, could not yet be backed up by detailed planning to the extent that is possible with the information available today. It was always clear that the original scheduling would need to be revised as planning progressed. The 2020 retrieval plan was based on time estimates that are now out of date. The plans are now much more detailed and advanced and can therefore better represent the interdependencies and risks. 
In particular, the geological conditions have proved to be even more challenging than anticipated back in 2020. It follows that the Asse 5 shaft will be a very challenging construction project. Furthermore, exploratory work to determine the collaring point for the shaft began later due to delays in acquiring the land required for this purpose.

Based on current information, it is no longer realistically feasible to begin retrieval in 2033, although it is not yet possible to specify a new start date for retrieval at this stage. As things currently stand, the new Asse 5 shaft is delaying retrieval. Only once the winding apparatus has been commissioned can work begin on excavating the retrieval mine and building the retrieval system underground. Current plans for the Asse 5 shaft assume that work to clear the construction site in the special area of conservation (SAC) will begin from 2031 and that the winding apparatus can be readied for operation in 2039. In parallel, the application for retrieval – initially concerning the waste from the intermediate-level waste (ILW) chamber at the 511-metre level – is to be submitted in 2027 so that the fundamental eligibility of the planned measures for licensing can be clarified as quickly as possible during the procedure.

What happens now? 

Planning work for retrieval is being stepped up with a focus on the deadline-critical path, i.e. the Asse 5 shaft, and on the retrieval of intermediate-level radioactive waste. At the same time, the priority is to stabilise the collection of solution, as the retrieval of waste will only be possible if the BGE gets the influx under control. Moreover, the precautionary measures set out in the emergency planning must be in place before retrieval begins. The updating of the consequence analyses will determine how the work on emergency planning and retrieval is prioritised going forward. 
The Chair of the BGE Management Board, Iris Graffunder, says: “Our primary objective as facility operators is to provide maximum protection for people and the environment against radiation.” She also wants to “communicate the facts clearly so that everyone can form their own view of the situation at Asse and engage in dialogue based on the same knowledge.”