NUKEM Technologies GmbH is a nuclear engineering and consulting company managing radioactive waste and spent fuel and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. The company is located in Alzenau, Germany. It was established in 2006 as a subsidiary of Nukem Energy. On 14 December 2009, Nukem Technologies was sold to Russian Atomstroyexport for €23.5 million.[1][2]
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Nuclear engineering |
| Predecessor | Nukem |
| Headquarters | , Germany |
Key people | Sergey Molodtsov (Managing Director) |
| Services | Radioactive waste and spent fuel management Nuclear engineering and consulting Nuclear decommissioning |
Number of employees | 170 |
| Parent | Atomstroyexport |
| Subsidiaries | NUKEM Technologies Engineering Services GmbH |
| Website | www |
Nukem Technologies builds the interim used fuel storage facility and the solid waste facility for the closed Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant.[3][4][5] In 2007, the company was awarded a contract by South Africa's PBMR Pty for the construction of a pilot fuel plant for the pebble bed modular reactor project.[6] Other projects include construction of dry spent fuel storage facilities at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, complex for treatment and conditioning of solid and combustible liquid radwaste at the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant, waste treatment centre at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, industrial complex for solid radwaste management at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and dismantling of the reactor block of Brennilis Nuclear Power Plant. In April 2024 NUKEM filed insolvency proceedings in Germany.
Transnuklear
editTransnuklear (TN) GmbH was founded in 1966 as a subsidiary of Nukem and had been responsible for the transportation of nuclear fuel in West Germany until its operating licenses were suspended.
In the 1980s, illegalities occurred in the transport of radioactive waste to and from West Germany and the reprocessing centre (SCK CEN) in Mol, Belgium. SCK CEN employees were bribed by Transnuklear employees to receive higher-level nuclear waste than permitted.[7]
The irregularities came to light after 21 October 1986, when an accident occurred in Kwaadmechelen with a Transnuklear transport from Krümmel Nuclear Power Plant to SCK CEN in Mol. Nuclear waste being transported did not correspond to the documents.[8]
On 8 April 1987, Nukem informed the public prosecutor of Hesse of irregularities by Transnuklear during the 1981-1986 period. Nukem was aware of the illegal activities a month earlier, but waited until after the 5 April 1987 Hessian state election, which gave a narrow majority for Federal Minister for Nuclear Safety Walter Wallmann (CDU).[9]
The bribes concerned millions of Belgian francs for hundreds of transports in nuclear waste. On 10 December 1987, three Transnuklear employees were arrested. The manager of Transnuklear, Hans Holtz, committed suicide in jail a few days later.
On 17 December 1987, German Environment Minister Klaus Töpfer instructs the nuclear authorities of Hesse to rescind the permits of Transnuklear. On 13 January 1988, Töpfer announced an investigation into transportation of nuclear fuel by Nukem/Transnuklear to Pakistan and Libya. This would be a violation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.[10]
On 21 January 1988, the European Parliament established a committee of inquiry into the nuclear waste scandal.[11] The German Bundestag and the Belgian Chamber of Representatives also established a parliamentary inquiry committee.
Together with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, this scandal led to the creation of the Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz in Germany and the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) in Belgium.
References
edit- ^ "Atomstroyexport buys NPP decommissioning technology". Kommersant. RIA Novosti. 2009-12-25. Archived from the original on January 5, 2010. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ "Nukem Technologies now owned by ASE". World Nuclear News. 2009-12-15. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
- ^ "Construction go-ahead for Ignalina waste stores". World Nuclear News. 2009-09-03. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
- ^ "Lithuania has problems disassembling the old Ignalina power plant". CE Weekly. Centre for Eastern Studies. 2010-05-26. Archived from the original on 2012-04-01. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
- ^ Hyndle-Hussein, Joanna (2011-09-14). "Lithuania: Problems with decommissioning of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant". CE Weekly. Centre for Eastern Studies. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
- ^ "Nukem awarded contract at PBMR fuel plant". World Nuclear News. 2007-08-13. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
- ^ "Scandal rocks nuclear power industry in West Germany" (PDF). Nature. 14 January 1988.
- ^ "Transport illégal de déchets radioactifs Le centre nucléaire de Mol, en Belgique, est mis en accusation". Le Monde. 9 January 1988.
- ^ Betriebsgenehmigung für Hanauer Nuklearfabrik NUKEM ausgesetzt, 14. Januar 1988
- ^ "Bonn Inquiry Hints Pakistan And Libya Got Atom Material". New York Times. 15 January 1988.
- ^ "A Nuclear Watergate: West Germany's "Transnuklear Affair"". Science for Peace. 1 June 1988.
