The French government has approved the dismantling of the shuttered Fessenheim nuclear power plant near the German border, after a decree authorizing utility EDF to proceed was published in the official gazette on Sunday.
EDF said it aims to begin work shortly on the project, which will be carried out in four phases, adding that preparatory work had largely been completed.
The plant, located south of the south-western German city of Freiburg, was shut down in 2020 after 42 years of operation, following years of pressure from anti-nuclear activists on both sides of the border. The removal of all fuel elements was completed in September 2022.
Key tasks in the first year of dismantling include removing three steam generators from reactor 1 and dismantling storage racks used for spent fuel, EDF said.
The company also plans to build a melting facility for low-level radioactive scrap at the site from 2027. The plant could process up to 500,000 tons of metal from across France, including components from nuclear reactors. The so-called Technocentre is expected to create around 200 jobs and begin operations in 2031, with investment estimated at about €450 million ($528 million).
Despite Fessenheim’s closure, France is pushing ahead with nuclear expansion. A strategy unveiled in February provides for six new reactors from 2038, with an option for eight more. The government also plans to extend the lifespan of its 57 existing reactors to 50 or 60 years, dropping earlier plans to phase out older plants.