Overview
- The BGE’s new intermediate assessment reduces potentially suitable areas to about 25% of Germany, down from 54% five years ago, with Rheinland‑Pfalz entirely ruled out and large parts of North Rhine‑Westphalia, Hesse and the Saarland deemed unsuitable.
- The current phase relies on desk‑based analysis of existing geological data, applying criteria such as at least 300 meters of protective overburden and 100 meters of host rock in salt, clay or crystalline formations, and excluding zones with seismic or volcanic risks.
- Large swaths of northern Germany remain under consideration, while shortlisted zones also include areas in Bavaria, Baden‑Württemberg, Thuringia, Saxony, Saxony‑Anhalt and Lower Saxony, with updated maps being released by the BGE.
- Next steps include another progress update in mid‑2026 and a BGE proposal by end‑2027 naming five to ten regions for surface exploration, to be reviewed by BASE before a Bundestag decision.
- The plan targets identifying a site by around 2050 for roughly 27,000 cubic meters of high‑level waste now in 16 interim stores with licenses expiring between 2034 and 2047, as the minister presses for faster progress.