Climate Change and its Implications for the repository of HLW in Germany

Global warming can cause changes in the frequency and intensity of certain types of external natural hazards. In Germany, this particularly affects hydrological and meteorological hazards and hazards derived from them (such as landslides and forest fires). The research project “Impact of Climate Change on the Safety of Nuclear Facilities” (KlimakA) assesses these external natural hazards and their impact on the safety of nuclear power plants, interim storage facilities and a final repository for HLW radioactive waste (during the operational phase).

In this review study various regulations and databases, e.g., VERA/BEVOR, IRS from the IAEA/NEA, INES, VIBS a.o., were evaluated. The focus on these evaluation lies on statements on very rare events (10,000-year events). It became apparent that climate projections are generally only calculated up to the end of the 21st century. Depending on the nuclear facilities under consideration, different time horizons are relevant: while the focus for European nuclear power plants is on the next 60 to 80 years, longer periods extending wide into the 22nd century are of interest for interim storage facilities and a final repository.

The presentation will present the results of the safety assessment of climate change on nuclear facilities and a final repository in the operational phase for HLW waste. Initial assessments indicate that meteorological and hydrological impacts in Central Europe will not change dramatically in the 21st century, with the exception of temperature. Nevertheless, they should be addressed in safety assessments of nuclear facilities, which is also recommended by recent international guidance on climate hazards events. Since interim storage facilities do not rely on active systems to ensure nuclear safety, they are highly robust against such hazards (including changes in them). A final repository could be more vulnerable to extreme meteorological or hydrological hazards during its operational phase. In this context, infrastructure such as lifting equipment and waste conditioning facilities must be protected against climate change. Forecasts are further complicated by the fact that climate forecasts beyond the year 2100 are rare and based on uncertain assumptions.