The decommissioning of the 700‑MW pressurised water reactor A‑14, which entered commercial operation in the early 1970s, has progressed through a series of tightly scheduled phases that began in the early 2000s. The plant was shut down for economic reasons in 2000 and entered a two‑year “post‑operation” period before the formal decommissioning licence was granted. The current plan, documented in the 2022 revision, foresees a total decommissioning duration of 22 years, with the final dismantling phase expected to conclude in 2026. The German nuclear safety authority (GRS) and the plant operator jointly oversee the project, with the operator responsible for day‑to‑day execution and the regulator providing approvals and monitoring compliance.

Technical and scientific results dominate the report. Since the start of decommissioning, 317 incidents have been recorded, five of which occurred during the dismantling phase. Earlier contamination events in the 1970s involved the reactor chimney and associated piping, while more recent incidents included a mis‑labelled pipe separation and a burst hose that contaminated the plant interior. Despite these events, the cumulative collective dose to personnel remains well below the planned limit. The cumulative dose for the entire decommissioning period is approximately 3.6 person‑sieverts, of which 3.4 Sv were received by external contractors and the remainder by the plant’s own staff. The planned cumulative dose was 10 Sv, indicating a significant margin of safety. Annual collective doses for the plant’s own staff show a declining trend, dropping to near zero as the plant moves into the final dismantling stages. External contractors’ doses are low, reflecting the removal of the most heavily contaminated components early in the process.

Personnel dynamics are closely linked to the technical work. The plant’s own workforce peaked during the last third of its operating life and has since declined steadily. External contractors, whose numbers fluctuated more sharply, were reduced by about half after the plant’s commercial shutdown but were subsequently rebuilt to a stable level during the final years of decommissioning. By the end of 2021, the total person‑years invested in the decommissioning effort amounted to 10,573, a figure that includes both internal and external staff. The workforce composition reflects the shift from routine operation to specialised dismantling and decontamination tasks, particularly in the soil and concrete layers surrounding the reactor.

The dismantling programme is organised into five main phases, with a ninth phase still underway. Phase 1 involved the removal of contaminated components in the control area and the establishment of a waste storage facility. Phase 2 saw the dismantling of larger components such as steam generators. Phase 3 focused on the removal of the reactor pressure vessel and the decontamination of the biological shield. Phase 4, which began in 2021, addresses the removal of the reactor vessel, primary shielding, and biological shield—components that are the most heavily contaminated and activated. The final phase, expected to finish in 2024, will complete the decontamination of the remaining structural elements. Throughout these phases, the operator has applied for revised release limits for airborne and waterborne radioactive emissions, with the regulator approving the removal of the iodine‑131 limit for air releases while maintaining unchanged limits for water discharges.

Collaboration among the operator, the regulator, and external contractors has been essential to meeting the technical milestones. The operator’s role includes detailed planning, execution of dismantling tasks, and coordination of safety measures. The regulator provides the necessary licences, monitors compliance with dose limits, and approves changes to release limits. Contractors bring specialised expertise in handling highly radioactive materials and in executing complex demolition tasks. The project’s timeline, anchored by the 2022 revision, reflects a coordinated effort that balances technical feasibility, safety, and regulatory compliance, ensuring that the decommissioning of A‑14 proceeds efficiently toward its projected completion in 2026.