A portion of the spent fuel from German nuclear power plants is being sent to France for reprocessing under commercial contracts between German electric utilities and COGEMA as well as intergovernmental agreements between France and Germany. The agreement concluded by the French and German governments on 31 January 2001 calls for the return of 12 casks of vitrified wastes to Germany each year.
Accordingly, a shipment of 6 casks of vitrified wastes is now in preparation. Considering the operational measures required for this shipment, it could leave the COGEMA rail terminal at Valognes for Germany some time next week. The transport casks being used meet the stringent security standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The transport of nuclear materials is strictly governed by a set of national and international regulations and procedures that ensure a high level of security. A second press release confirming the departure will be issued once the operational conditions for the shipment have been decided.