On 25 April 2017, the operator responsibilities for the Asse II mine as well as the Konrad and Morsleben repositories were transferred to the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung mbH, BGE). This website of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) will therefore no longer be updated and displays the status as on 24 April 2017. You will find current information at the BGE: www.bge.de

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What happens in Asse?

Works for safe decommissioning

Cold trial: Preparing to collect data

Before starting to collect the relevant data, the drilling crew and participating experts checked the technical equipment and safety components in a so-called 'cold trial' procedure at a level of 800 meters underground. They also tried different geophysical measuring techniques that are supposed to deliver data about cavities and the condition of the rock mass in the vicinity of the chambers once drilling works start. The tests performed at the 800-m-level started in September 2010 and were completed in summer 2011.

Drilling device with preventer Drilling device with preventerDrilling device with preventer

The tests included creating a drill hole with a total length of 45 meters and performing the accompanying measurements.

Experts assessed different geotechnical measuring techniques destined at discovering the barrels. These measurements are supposed to determine the exact distance between the drilling bit and the waste containers in order to ensure that the barrels will not be accidentally hit by the drill in real operation, i. e. in the 'hot phase'.

The preparation phase also served to test several drilling bits and the preventer. The preventer is an essential piece of safety equipment that seals the drilling hole.

State of 2015.01.13

Transfer of operator responsibilities

On 25 April 2017, the operator responsibilities for the Asse II mine as well as the Konrad and Morsleben repositories were transferred to the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung mbH, BGE). Previously, the responsibility for the projects was with the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). The foundations for the change of operatorship are laid down in the "Act on the Realignment of the Organisational Structures in the Field of Radioactive Waste Disposal", which became effective on 30 July 2016. The BfS focusses on the federal tasks of radiation protection, for example in the field of defence against nuclear hazards, medical research, mobile communication, UV protection or the measuring networks for environmental radioactivity.

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