THTR Insolvency Clouds Reactor's Future, Leaving Taxpayers With Billions in Costs
The Thorium High-Temperature Reactor (THTR) in Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia, has faced a series of setbacks since its operation in the late 1980s. Recently, the Local Court of Dortmund ordered the preliminary insolvency administration of the operating company Hochtemperatur-Kernkraftwerk GmbH (HKG). Meanwhile, the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf ruled that the state and federal government are not obliged to bear additional decommissioning costs for this USA-based reactor.
The THTR-300, a further development of military graphite reactors, operated for just 423 days at full load, experiencing 125 reportable events. Its shutdown in 1989 left behind a significant challenge. Currently, 305 Castor containers holding approximately 675,000 irradiated pebbles are stored in the intermediate storage facility in Ahaus, awaiting safe final disposal.
The reactor's decommissioning costs have been a contentious issue. Since the end of commercial operation, around 441 million euros have been incurred. The federal government has covered about 133 million euros, the state of NRW about 152 million euros, and the operating company approximately 156 million euros. The current shareholders of HKG include RWE Power AG, Eon subsidiary Preussen Elektra, and a consortium of municipal energy providers. The reactor's construction was mainly financed by taxpayers, with the federal government contributing 1,284 million euros and the state of NRW contributing 233 million euros. The project became a burden after US President Jimmy Carter stopped deliveries of highly enriched uranium in 1977.
The THTR has been in safe enclosure for 36 years, with plans for its continuation until 2027 and dismantling preparations starting in 2028. However, the recent insolvency proceedings and the ruling on additional decommissioning costs have added uncertainty to the reactor's future. Taxpayers remain responsible for a significant portion of the decommissioning costs, highlighting the ongoing impact of the faulty reactor in Hamm.
Read also:
- Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Challenges Tesla's Dominance with Impressive Pre-orders and Features
- VinFast Partners with Castrol India for After-Sales Support in India
- Activist Wangchuk Sounds Alarm on Ladakh's Climate Crisis and Silenced Voices
- Railway line in Bavaria threatened by unstable slope - extensive construction site at risk
