Comparing nuclear power trajectories in Germany and the UK: from ‘regimes' to ‘democracies’ in sociotechnical transitions and Discontinuities

This paper focuses on arguably the single most striking contrast in contemporary major energy politics in Europe (and even the developed world as a whole): the starkly differing civil nuclear policies of Germany and the UK. Germany is seeking entirely to phase out nuclear power by 2022. Yet the UK advocates a ‘nuclear renaissance’, promoting the most ambitious new nuclear construction programme in Western Europe.Here,this paper poses a simple yet quite fundamental question: what are the particular divergent conditions most strongly implicated in the contrasting developments in these two countries. With nuclear playing such an iconic role in historical discussions over technological continuity and transformation, answering this may assist in wider understandings of sociotechnical incumbency and discontinuity in the burgeoning field of‘sustainability transitions’. To this end, an ‘abductive’ approach is taken: deploying nine potentially relevant criteria for understanding the different directions pursued in Germany and the UK. Together constituted by 30 parameters spanning literatures related to socio-technical regimes in general as well as nuclear technology in particular, the criteria are divided into those that are ‘internal’ and ‘external’ to the ‘focal regime configuration’ of nuclear power and associated ‘challenger technologies’ like renewables. It is ‘internal’ criteria that are emphasised in conventional sociotechnical regime theory, with ‘external’ criteria relatively less well explored. Asking under each criterion whether attempted discontinuation of nuclear power would be more likely in Germany or the UK, a clear picture emerges. ‘Internal’ criteria suggest attempted nuclear discontinuation should be more likely in the UK than in Germany– the reverse of what is occurring. ‘External’ criteria are more aligned with observed dynamics –especially those relating to military nuclear commitments and broader ‘qualities of democracy’. Despite many differences of framing concerning exactly what constitutes ‘democracy’, a rich political science literature on this point is unanimous in characterising Germany more positively than the UK. Although based only on a single case,a potentially important question is nonetheless raised as to whether sociotechnical regime theory might usefully give greater attention to the general importance of various aspects of democracy in constituting conditions for significant technological discontinuities and transformations. If so, the policy implications are significant. A number of important areas are identified for future research, including the roles of diverse understandings and specific aspects of democracy and the particular relevance of military nuclear commitments– whose under-discussion in civil nuclear policy literatures raises its own questions of democratic accountability

Planungen zur fernbedienten Demontage des RDG und seiner Einbauten am Beispiel der Greifswalder Reaktoren

Es werden zwei Konzepte zur Zerlegung des Druckbehaelters und zum Transport und Nasslagerung der zerlegten Teile innerhalb des Reaktorgebaeudes erarbeitet. (HP)Two strategies are explained developed for the dismantling of the reactor pressure vessel and for transportation and wet storage of the disassembled parts within the reactor building. (HP)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: D.Dt.F.QN1(8,33) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Korrosionsdatenbank fuer den Brennstoffkreislauf (Phase 2) Abschlussbericht

Gegenstand des vorliegenden Vorhabens war es, Korrosionsdaten insbesondere aus dem Bereich des Schnellbrueter-Brennstoffkreislaufs, aber auch aus anderen geeigneten Quellen, aufzubereiten, zusammenzufassen und in einer als Informationssystem ausgerichteten Datenbank zu speichern. Das Informationssystem war als modernes benutzerfreundliches EDV-Programm fuer die Anwendung auf handelsueblichen Personal Computern (PC) zu erstellen. Basierend auf Untersuchungen zur Salpetersaeurekorrosion an austenitischen Staehlen (typische Werkstoff/Korrosionsmittelkombination fuer den Bereich der Wiederaufarbeitung abgebrannter Brennelemente aus Kernkraftwerken) wurden in Abstimmung mit Werkstoffachleuten die wichtig erscheinenden Kenngroessen ermittelt und in Form eines Katalogs strukturiert. Dieser Katalog wurde mit Hilfe eines relationalen Datenbankmanagementsystems als Faktendatenbank organisiert, in die die entsprechenden Informationen aus der Originalliteratur aufgenommen wurden. (orig.)The objetive of the present project consisted in preparing, summarizing and storing in a data base designed as an information system, corrosion data, in particular those related to the fast breeder fuel cycle, but also those obtained from other appropriate sources. The said information system had to be set up as a modern user-friendly data processing program for use in commercial personal computers. Based on studies of nitric acid corrosion of austenitic steels (typical material/corrosive combination of the area of spent fuel reprocessing from nuclear power plants), parameters considered important were determined in coordination with materials experts, and structured in the form of a catalogue. That catalogue was organized by means of a relational data base management system as a fact data base into which suitable information from original literature was included. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RO 3826(91015) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Korrosions-Informations-System KODABA. Version 3.0 Benutzeranleitung

Dieses Buch ist eine Bedienungsanleitung fuer die IBM-PC-Software namens KODABA (KOrrosions-DAten-BAnk). KODABA ist eine Programmshell zur Erfassung, Aufbereitung, Interpretation und Dokumentation von Korrosionsdaten. Sie wurde vorrangig fuer Korrosionsvorgaenge von metallischen Werkstoffen mit fluessigen Reagenzien (z.B. Saeuren, Laugen) entwickelt. (MM)This book is a user manual for the IBM-PC software CODOBA (Corrosion Data Bank). CODOBA is a programme shell for the acquisition, processing, interpretation and documentation of corrosion data. It was mainly developed for corrosion processes of metallic materials with liquid reagents (e.g. acids, lyes). (MM)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F94B1624+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Internationale Erfahrungen zur Konditionierung abgebrannter Brennelemente Abschlussbericht

Copy held by FIZ Karlsruhe; available from UB/TIB Hannover / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Bericht ueber das Geschaeftsjahr 1986 der NUKEM GmbH, Hanau

SIGLEAvailable from Nuklear-Chemie und -Metallurgie G.m.b.H. (NUKEM), Hanau (DE) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

World nuclear power plant capacity

SIGLECopy held by FIZ Karlsruhe; available from UB/TIB Hannover / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Direkte Endlagerung von Kernbrennstoff aus Forschungsreaktoren (gemeinsames Projekt NUKEM/GNS) Abschlussbericht

42 German research reactors and the HFR Petten (MTR, TRIGA, SUR, zero power reactors, critical assemblies) were considered. Basic data of spent nuclear fuel from operational and planned reactors (27), and waste management degree and disposal of spent nuclear fuel of 16 decommissioned reactors are described. As reference fuel element (BE) the MTR standard BE was defined. The feasibility, in principle, of conditioning spent MTR-BE in the pilot conditioning plant at Gorleben (PKA) is shown. Packaging in three different repository containers is considered. The technical concepts of direct ultimate disposal can be applied to repository emplacement. Substantial planning documents are indicated, and safety-related considerations on MTR-BE in the repository described. (HP)Betrachtet wurden 42 deutsche Forschungsreaktoren und der HFR Petten (MTR, TRIGA, SUR, Nulleistungsreaktoren, kritische Anordnungen). Basisdaten ausgedienten Kernbrennstoffs von in Betrieb befindlichen und geplanten Reaktoren (27) und Entsorgunsgrad und Verbleib des entsorgten Kernbrennstoffs von 16 stillgelegten Reaktoren sind dargestellt. Als Referenz-Brennelement (BE) wurde das MTR-Standard-BE festgelegt. Die prinzipielle Machbarkeit der Konditionierung ausgedienter MTR-BE in der Pilot-Konditionierungsanlage Gorleben (PKA) wird aufgezeigt. Betrachtet wird die Verpackung in 3 unterschiedlichen Endlagerbehaeltern. Fuer die Einlagerung im Endlager koennen die technischen Konzepte zur Direkten Endlagerung uebertragen werden. Wesentliche Planungsunterlagen sind angegeben und sicherheitstechnische Ueberlegungen zu MTR-BE im Endlager werden beschrieben. (HP)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RO 3826(92002) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Bericht ueber das Geschaeftsjahr 1982 der NUKEM GmbH, Hanau

SIGLEAvailable from Nuklear-Chemie und -Metallurgie G.m.b.H. (NUKEM), Hanau (DE) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman

Korrosions-Informations-System KODABA. Version 1.2 Demodiskette. Benutzeranleitung

SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F94B1623+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman