Nukem Technologies. NUKEM Technologies GmbH is a nuclear engineering and consulting company managing radioactive waste and spent fuel and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. The company is located in Alzenau, Germany. It was established in 2006 as a subsidiary of Nukem Energy.  On 14 December 2009, Nukem Technologies was sold to Russian Atomstroyexport for €23.5 million.

Nukem Technologies builds the interim used fuel storage facility and the solid waste facility for the closed Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant.  In 2007, the company was awarded a contract by South Africa's PBMR Pty for the construction of a pilot fuel plant for the pebble bed modular reactor project.  Other projects include construction of dry spent fuel storage facilities at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, complex for treatment and conditioning of solid and combustible liquid radwaste at the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant, waste treatment centre at the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, industrial complex for solid radwaste management at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and dismantling of the reactor block of Brennilis Nuclear Power Plant.
In April 2024 NUKEM filed insolvency proceedings in Germany.

In October 2024, Nukem Technologies was acquired by Muroosystems Corporation, a Tokyo-based IT company. This acquisition was completed following a period of insolvency for Nukem due to challenges related to its previous Russian ownership amid geopolitical tensions following the war in Ukraine. The acquisition was finalized after Muroosystems obtained all necessary regulatory approvals and commitments from third parties, with the effective date of the economic transfer being September 25, 2024.

Under Muroosystems' ownership, Nukem plans to continue its work in nuclear decommissioning and radioactive waste management while exploring new growth opportunities in areas like nuclear fusion technology and TRISO technology. Muroosystems aims to leverage Nukem's expertise to enhance its competitiveness in developing next-generation energy solutions. The company also plans to establish a new R&D center in Fukushima Prefecture to promote Japanese nuclear technology internationally.

Transnuklear
Transnuklear (TN) GmbH was founded in 1966 as a subsidiary of Nukem and had been responsible for the transportation of nuclear fuel in West Germany until its operating licenses were suspended.

In the 1980s, illegalities occurred in the transport of radioactive waste to and from West Germany and the reprocessing centre (SCK CEN) in Mol, Belgium. SCK CEN employees were bribed by Transnuklear employees to receive higher-level nuclear waste than permitted.

The irregularities came to light after 21 October 1986, when an accident occurred in Kwaadmechelen with a Transnuklear transport from Krümmel Nuclear Power Plant to SCK CEN in Mol. Nuclear waste being transported did not correspond to the documents.

On 8 April 1987, Nukem informed the public prosecutor of Hesse of irregularities by Transnuklear during the 1981-1986 period. Nukem was aware of the illegal activities a month earlier, but waited until after the 5 April 1987 Hessian state election, which gave a narrow majority for Federal Minister for Nuclear Safety Walter Wallmann (CDU).

The bribes concerned millions of Belgian francs for hundreds of transports in nuclear waste. On 10 December 1987, three Transnuklear employees were arrested. The manager of Transnuklear, Hans Holtz, committed suicide in jail a few days later.

On 17 December 1987, German Environment Minister Klaus Töpfer instructs the nuclear authorities of Hesse to rescind the permits of Transnuklear. On 13 January 1988, Töpfer announced an investigation into transportation of nuclear fuel by Nukem/Transnuklear to Pakistan and Libya. This would be a violation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

On 21 January 1988, the European Parliament established a committee of inquiry into the nuclear waste scandal. The German Bundestag and the Belgian Chamber of Representatives also established a parliamentary inquiry committee.

Together with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, this scandal led to the creation of the Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz in Germany and the Federal Agency for Nuclear Control (FANC) in Belgium.

References

German companies established in 2006
Nuclear technology companies of Germany
Nuclear waste companies
Rosatom
Waste companies established in 2006