Environment & Climate

Germany's nuclear waste site search narrows to 5% of territory

Deutsche Welle reports the search now covers 5% of Germany's land across 11 states, with a site targeted by 2050.

Updated Nov 1, 2026 · 11:34 UTC1 reports

The short version

Deutsche Welle reports the BGE has narrowed Germany's repository search to 5% of land across 11 of 16 states.[Deutsche Welle]
Germany, which phased out commercial nuclear power after 2011 and shut its last plant in 2023, targets selecting a site by 2050.[Deutsche Welle]
Environment Minister Carsten Schneider wants to examine whether the search can be accelerated.[Deutsche Welle]
Current search and storage costs run about €1.4 billion per year, while experts estimate the finished repository at roughly €14 billion.[Deutsche Welle]

Finland has become the first country to have a final storage facility for nuclear waste, a project that took around 40 years.[Deutsche Welle]
The BGE says only 5% of Germany's land across 11 of 16 states remains under consideration for a repository.[Deutsche Welle]
Germany hopes to identify a repository site by 2050.[Deutsche Welle]
Germany decided in 2011 to phase out commercial nuclear power and shut its last plant in 2023.[Deutsche Welle]
BGE spokesperson Dagmar Dehmer said a repository must stay safe for 100,000 years in Finland and one million years in Germany, Switzerland and France.[Deutsche Welle]
Current search and interim storage costs are about €1.4 billion per year, and experts estimate the completed repository at roughly €14 billion.[Deutsche Welle]

The 2050 target and any acceleration of the search remain unconfirmed; the minister only wants to examine whether it is possible.[Deutsche Welle]
The roughly €14 billion completion cost is an expert estimate, not a confirmed figure.[Deutsche Welle]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.