German Excavator for Nuclear Waste Retrieval Delayed by Shaft Construction
A German team has developed a remote-controlled excavator designed to retrieve 126,000 corroding drums of nuclear waste from the Asse II salt mine in Lower Saxony. The mine, which has been taking on brine since 1988, was initially chosen for its geological properties, believed to naturally contain waste. However, the mine's stability has been compromised, leading to a legal mandate to retrieve all waste. The excavator, built by Bilfinger and the Fraunhofer Institute, is ready but cannot be deployed until a new shaft, Asse 5, is constructed. This shaft is crucial for transporting the machinery underground, but its construction is not expected to begin until 2031, with completion anticipated by 2039.