Regulation of nuclear decommissioning

Being an integral part of the life of all nuclear facilities, the decommissioning of these facilities is an important task to the owners as well as to the regulators and authorities. This applies not only to large nuclear facilities such as power plants and fuel cycle facilities but is also referring to the multitude of small nuclear applications in medicine, industry and research. The article provides an overview of the statutory and legal framework, the regulatory body and the licensing procedure for the decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear facilities in Germany. Furthermore, the respective international regulatory framework as it is laid down in the Joint Convention and the IAEA Safety Standards is outlined and a brief description of the current activities of WENRA is given.