On August 16, 2024, the iconic cooling towers of the Grafenrheinfeld nuclear power plant in Bavaria were demolished. The towers, which had been a landmark since the plant’s construction in 1974, were brought down with a controlled explosion. The towers stood 143 meters tall and had a diameter of about 105 meters at the base, narrowing to 64 meters at the top.
The demolition, scheduled for 18:30 local time, was initially delayed due to a person who unlawfully entered the restricted area and climbed a power mast. This individual, who was about ten meters off the ground, refused to come down, causing the demolition to be postponed. The person was later removed by authorities and taken into police custody. Following this, the demolition proceeded, with thousands of spectators watching from a safe distance on nearby fields and meadows. The area had been extensively cordoned off, and access roads were closed to ensure safety.
Demolition process
The demolition was meticulously planned. The amount of explosives used and the number of holes filled with charges were kept confidential. The process involved a preliminary “vergrämungssprengung” to scare off any birds or animals that might be on the towers. The actual demolition involved a two-stage explosion: first, the northern tower (ZP2) was demolished, followed 15 seconds later by the southern tower (ZP1). The entire operation was expected to last about 30 seconds.
Impact and aftermath
The destruction of the towers created a significant amount of dust, which was anticipated to dissipate quickly. The plant operator, Preussenelektra, assured that the towers were not contaminated with radioactive material, as they had no direct connection to the nuclear part of the plant. Consequently, no radioactive release was expected.
Following the demolition, the rubble will be sorted, with over two-thirds expected to be recycled, potentially for creating a new storage area. The overall cost of the demolition is estimated to be around three million euros. The two main grid operators, Tennet and Bayernwerk, will inspect the power lines and facilities for any damage or contamination.
The Grafenrheinfeld plant was the oldest active nuclear power plant in Germany before its shutdown. The decision to decommission it was part of Germany’s broader transition away from nuclear energy, a policy shift intensified by the Fukushima disaster in March 2011. As part of this transition, eight older reactors were taken offline in the summer of 2011, and the last three German nuclear power plants were shut down in April 2023. The decommissioning of Grafenrheinfeld reflects Germany’s commitment to phasing out nuclear energy, with ongoing discussions about the long-term management of nuclear waste, which amounts to 27,000 cubic meters of high-level radioactive material accumulated over more than 60 years.
