From operation to demolition: Approaches to the development of organizations for decommissioning nuclear facilities

Abstract

On June 30, 2011, the German federal parliament passed the "13 th Law Amending the Atomic Energy Act." This amendment confirms the shutdown in steps of all nuclear power plants by the end of 2022. Shutdown of the nuclear power plants initiates the decommissioning and demolition phases, respectively, of nuclear facilities. The transition from the operations phase to the demolition phase must be organized. As far as existing plant structures are concerned, the question arises to what extent existing line organizations and their structures can be upheld. Experience so far in demolishing nuclear facilities indicates the need for changes in organization for successful demolition projects. This directly raises key issues of the development of demolition organizations to which answers must be found: • How is the project organization to be merged with the existing line organization into an efficient streamlined demolition organization? • How is the project organization to be derived and planned with a view to the demolition process and its steps? • In what way will personnel structures change, and how can know-how and competences needed for demolition purposes be ensured in a company?.