Niederaichbach Nuclear Power Plant

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Niederaichbach Nuclear Power Plant, in Niederaichbach, Bavaria, Germany, was a single heavy water gas-cooled reactor with a gross output of 106 MWe. Construction started in 1966 and it began operating in 1973. Due to safety and maintenance problems, the reactor was shut down in July 1974 after only about 18 months of operation, having produced around 20,000 MWh and a capacity factor of 1.1%.

It was the first nuclear plant in Europe to be completely decommissioned, with final work completed in autumn 1995. Although located at the same site as the Isar Nuclear Power Plant, Niederaichbach used a different reactor type and was decommissioned several years before Isar was finished.

In the late 1950s, Bavaria pursued nuclear power. Construction cost 230 million Deutsche Marks. After shutdown, the plant was placed into SAFSTOR for decontamination, and its fuel was sent to CEA in France for disposal. From 1975 to 1995 the structure was dismantled and the area restored to greenfield. Demolition and site remediation cost about 280 million DM, more than its construction cost. After decommissioning, Germany halted development of heavy water reactors. Today a monument marks the former site near the Isar plant.