History

History of the VKTA

1992

  • Foundation of the VKTA by Prof. Dr. Dr. Wolf Häfele
  • Start of cooperation with Wismut GmbH in the context of major orders
  • New start of radiopharmaceutical production
  • 1991-1993 Participation in the measurement programme “Chernobyl Measurement Action” of the Federal Republic of Germany
  • Receipt of the 1st nuclear licensing for the plant for radiation sources
  • Start of work on the “ALASKA” contaminated site register of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection

1993

  • Start of the practical partnership in the dual study at the university of cooperative education Riesa / Karlsruhe to Graduate Engineer (BA) for environmental and radiation protection
  • Cabinet decision of the Free State of Saxony to shut down the Rossendorf research reactor
  • Department of Physics conducts experiments on the effects of jet fuel fires within the framework of a comprehensive analysis of possible effects of design transgression events at the Research site Rossendorf (1992 to 1996) constitution of the advisory board on 11 May 1993
  • Receipt of the 1st nuclear licensing for the state collection point and for the production of radiopharmaceuticals
  • Existing measuring chamber in Felsenkeller is extended to a low-level measuring laboratory

1994

  • Commissioning of the state collection point of the Free State of Saxony, which is also responsible for the Free State of Thuringia.
  • Measuring systems for radiation protection environmental monitoring are newly installed (environmental monitoring network REMSY)
  • Electrochemistry is established as a field of activity in the VKTA
  • Start of contract negotiations with the Ahaus fuel element interim storage facility for CASTOR® MTR 2 storage locations
  • Framework agreement between VKTA and research centre Rossendorf (today Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf)

1995

  • Contracts for CASTOR® MTR 2 container and their storage locations in the Ahaus fuel element interim storage facility concluded
  • Completion of the extension of the low-level measuring laboratory “Felsenkeller”
  • Decision made to combine the Radiopharmaceuticals and Nuclear Analysis Divisions
  • Assignment of the incorporation measuring point as official measuring point of the Free State of Saxony
  • Start of planning work for the facility for the disposal of nuclear material Rossendorf

1996

  • The Saxon State Office for the Environment and Geology issues the permit for a leakage tightness test centre
  • First “Open Day” at the VKTA
  • Accreditation of the Laboratory for Environmental and Radionuclide Analysis
  • Change of directors (Prof. Dr. Dr. Wolf Häfele/Dr. Wolfgang Hieronymus)

1997

  • First edition of the VKTA information magazine as “VKTA-Nachbarschaftsblatt” (VKTA Neighbourhood Gazette)
  • Delivery of the empty CASTOR® MTR 2 containers to Rossendorf
  • Construction of the weather protection hall above the “Interim storage facility for solid radioactive waste”
  • 1st emergency exercise with KHG Kerntechnische Hilfsdienst GmbH
  • Preparation of the deconstruction of the Rossendorf isotope production
  • Application for decommissioning of the Rossendorf research reactor at the Saxon State Ministry for the Environment and Regional Development
  • International Colloquium at the VKTA on the 40th anniversary of the Commissioning of the Rossendorf Research Reactor

1998

  • 40th anniversary of the plant fire brigade at Rossendorf research site
  • Clearance measurement system put into operation
  • RAKE II completely dismantled
  • Testing of the fuel element reloading into the CASTOR® MTR 2 containers
  • Start of new construction of the state collection point of the Free State of Saxony
  • Start of construction of the Rossendorf interim storage facility
  • First dismantling of AMOR facilities
  • First meeting of the Rossendorf Research Reactor Community of Interests

1999

  • Udo Helwig becomes Director of the VKTA
  • 1st Workshop Radiochemical Analytics
  • First CASTOR® MTR 2 containers are transferred with fuel elements to the transport hall
  • Commissioning of the interim storage facility I
  • Demolition of the “inner zone” wall completed
  • Decontamination of the former storage facility for radioactive waste water
  • Literature “Contributions to the History of Nuclear Energy in the GDR” (Prof. Dr. Peter Liewers) completed

2000

  • AMOR facilities are uranium-free
  • Commissioning of the interim storage facility II
  • Commissioning of the laboratory wastewater treatment facility, operated by VKTA
  • Saxon Environment Minister Steffen Flath visits VKTA
  • Rossendorfer Ring Zone Reactor will be released from the area of applicability of the Atomic Energy Act after completion of the deconstruction. Handover of the building to the Rossendorf Research Centre
  • Release of the uranium technical centre from the Atomic Energy Act and its demolition
  • Conditioning of Liquid Radioactive Waste with the Mobile Cementing Plant MOSS-200
  • Waste from the former solid radioactive waste storage facility removed and repackaged

2000

  • Commissioning of the facility for the treatment of low-level radioactive waste Rossendorf
  • All fuel elements removed from the Rossendorf research reactor
  • First mass spectrometer for the VKTA put into operation
  • Report “General Data for the Research Site Rossendorf” according to EURATOM, Art. 37
  • Working group “Nuclear Safety Officers” of the German Nuclear Fuel Industry Association meets for the first time at VKTA
  • Development of the gamma scanner RoSCAN for the measurement of radioactive contaminated rooms
  • Foundation of the Collaboration of the European Underground Laboratories CELLAR in the Felsenkeller

2001

  • Start of dismantling of the Rossendorf research reactor
  • Copper cassette of the laying of the foundation stone of the Uranium technical centre recovered
  • New state collection point of the Free State of Saxony put into operation
  • Demolition of the old wastewater treatment facility
  • Deconstruction of AMOR plants in process
  • 2nd Workshop Radiochemical Analytics in the VKTA
  • Establishment of the VKTA Senior Isotope table
  • On November 15, 2001, Axel Richter, Commercial Director, was appointed to the VKTA Executive Board

2002

  • 10 years VKTA 
  • Removal of intermediate-level radioactive waste from the storage pit of the former state collection point
  • Extension of the Rossendorf facility for the treatment of low-level radioactive waste to include the former state collection point of the Free State of Saxony
  • Conditioning of the first reactor vessel at Energiewerke Nord
  • Dismantling of the former wastewater facility completed
  • Clearance measurement system for use in Braunschweig
  • Dismantling of the 1st cooling circuit of the Rossendorf research reactor completed
  • Emergency response exercise conducted with KHG Kerntechnische Hilfsdienst GmbH at the Rossendorf interim storage facility
  • Soil remediation concept submitted to the Saxon State Ministry for the Environment and Agriculture; decision in 2003
  • Reconstruction of the analytical laboratories – completion of the first construction phase

2003

  • Removal and conditioning of the Rossendorf research reactor core parts and the reactor vessel
  • Desludging of the Harthteich pool
  • 40 Years Rossendorfer Ring Zone Reactor – Brochure “Zero Power Reactors in Saxony – A Review” completed
  • Application documents for the dismantling of the Rossendorf research reactor were handed over in 72 folder to the licensing authority
  • The state collection point of the Free State of Saxony is now also responsible for the State of Saxony-Anhalt
  • Research Project C-14-Biokinetics and Dosimetry

2004

  • Uranyl nitrate solution treated and transported away to Sellafield
  • CASTOR® MTR 2 transport to Ahaus approved
  • Start of dismantling of the interim storage facility for liquid radioactive waste
  • Dismantling of “warm cells” of isotope production completed
  • Cabinet decision on the dismantling and future of the VKTA 
  • Dismantling of the “hot chambers” of the research reactor Rossendorf
  • Remote dismantling of the “hot cells” in isotope production
  • 3rd Workshop Radiochemical Analytics in the VKTA 

2005

  • CASTOR® MTR 2 transports to the Ahaus fuel element interim storage facility
  • Site of the former neutralisation facility released from nuclear supervision
  • 1st Transport of unirradiated nuclear material to Kazakhstan
  • Demolition of the first former transport hall
  • Completion of dismantling of the former solid radioactive waste storage facility
  • Modified extension of the facility for the treatment of low-level radioactive waste Rossendorf put into operation
  • First international analytical orders in the laboratory for environmental and radionuclide analysis

2006

  • Dismantling of “hot cells” in isotope production completed
  • Deputy Director and Commercial Director of VKTA, Axel Richter retires
  • Nuclear material transport to Russia
  • 4th Workshop Radiochemical Analytics in the VKTA
  • Completion of reconstruction of the laboratory areas for environmental and radionuclide analysis in building 8 a
  • 1st Updating course of expertise in radiation protection
  • Analytics of Po-210 in connection with the Litwinenko case

2007

  • Honorary Colloquium on the occasion of the 80th birthday of the founding director Prof. Dr. Dr. Wolf Häfele
  • Presentation of the VKTA at the KONTEC for the first time in Dresden
  • Water treatment facility RODOSAN put into operation
  • Construction and inauguration of the new administration building of the VKTA 
  • 50 Years Rossendorf Research Reactor
  • Reconstruction of the former storage facility for radioactive waste water almost completed
  • 15 years VKTA 
  • Decontamination and deconstruction of the former waste water vessel begins
  • Excursion of the Department of Radiation Protection to the WISMUT GmbH in Königstein
  • Setup of the Ultra-Low-Level Gamma Spectrometer in the Low-Level Measurement Laboratory Felsenkeller

2008

  • Demolition of the building complex of the former isotope production
  • 50 annivmary of plant fire brigade at Rossendorf
  • AMOR storage facility dismantled
  • Demolition of the “hot cells” in the AMOR plant
  • Start of the demolition of the Biological Shield of the Rossendorf Research Reactor
  • Demolition of the exhaust air chimney of the isotope production

2009

  • VKTA is certified according to ISO 9001:2000
  • Saxon Minister of State for the Environment and Agriculture Frank Kupfer visits VKTA 
  • New fire-fighting vehicle for the plant fire brigade
  • Demolition of the former reactor waste water vessel
  • The VKTA Information Centre is opened
  • Presentation of the VKTA at the KONTEC
  • Publication of the book “Contributions to the History of the Rossendorf Research Reactor”

2010

  • Demolition of the concrete structures under the former reactor
  • Demolition of the safety installations in the facility for the disposal of nuclear material Rossendorf
  • 2nd Nuclear material transport to Kazakhstan
  • VKTA receives the 3rd place of the “Dresden Congress Award” of Dresden Marketing GmbH for KONTEC
  • First participation in the Long Night of Sciences Dresden
  • 10th CELLAR Meeting in Dresden
  • 6th Workshop Radiochemical Analytics in the VKTA 

2011

  • 2nd Updating course of expertise in radiation protection
  • Former storage facility for radioactive waste water to be released from the Atomic Energy Act
  • Saxon Minister of State Prof. Baroness Sabine von Schorlemer visits VKTA
  • Presentation of the VKTA at the KONTEC 
  • Transfer of the remediated isotope production area to the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf
  • Excavation pit of the former reactor waste water vessel filled in
  • Demolition of the former isotope production building
  • After Fukushima, measurements were made of Japan returnees and airplanes
  • Major order for analytics for the decommissioned nuclear power plant Barsebäck, Sweden

2012

  • Prof. Dr. Peter Sahre becomes Director of the VKTA 
  • 20 years VKTA 
  • Demolition of the former isotope production building completed
  • Colloquium on 30 years of the low-level measuring laboratory Felsenkeller
  • Radiation protection training with pupils in the specialist camp Auerbach
  • Commissioning of the new irradiation facility
  • Framework agreements “Analytics 2012 – 2017” concluded with EDF, France, and elimination analytics 2012 – 2015 concluded with SOGIN, Italy

2013

  • Demolition of the exhaust air chimney at the Rossendorf research reactor
  • Amendment of the articles of association
  • Visit of State Secretary for the Environment and Agriculture Dr Fritz Jäckel to VKTA 
  • Former founding director Prof. Dr. Dr. Wolf Häfele dies at the age of 86 on 5 June 2013
  • 80th birthday of the former director Dr. Wolfgang Hieronymus
  • Presentation of the VKTA at the KONTEC
  • Radiation protection meeting with former employees
  • 7th Workshop Radiochemical Analytics in the VKTA 

2014

  • Completion of the dismantling of the Rossendorf isotope production
  • Topping-out ceremony for the new radiation protection centre
  • Commissioning of the ultra-low-level gamma spectrometer of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt in the VKTA Felsenkeller laboratory
  • Amendment of the articles of association: Change of name to VKTA – Radiation Protection, Analytics & Disposal Rossendorf Inc.

2015

  • Demolition of the reactor building
  • Visit of the Saxon Minister of State for the Environment and Agriculture Thomas Schmidt to the VKTA
  • Presentation of the VKTA at the KONTEC
  • Commissioning of the new radiation protection centre and the new shielding chamber for whole-body measurements
  • Participation of the VKTA in the aero gamma spectrometry (helicopter measurement) of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS)
  • Visit of the Environmental Committee of the Saxon Parliament to VKTA

2016

  • 3rd Updating course of expertise in radiation protection and according to X-ray regulation
  • Rossendorf research reactor facilities completely dismantled
  • Dismantling of open-air grounds completed
  • Commissioning of the new clearance measurement system

2017

  • Dr. Dietmar Schlösser becomes new Director of VKTA
  • Presentation of the VKTA at the KONTEC
  • 25 years VKTA 
  • Application for release of the open-air site from the Atomic Energy Act
  • Visit by Dr. Eva-Maria Stange, Saxon Minister of State for Science and the Arts, with members of the Saxon State Parliament at VKTA

2018

  • Release of the open-air site from nuclear supervision
  • 8th Workshop Radiochemical Analytics in the VKTA
  • Accreditation of the incorporation measuring office
  • Presentation of the VKTA at the Open Laboratory Day
  • Change of department management in radiation protection and in dismantling and disposal

2019

  • Relaunch of the new website
  • Presentation of the VKTA at the KONTEC
  • Presentation of the VKTA at the Dresden Science Night
  • Visit by Thomas Schmidt, Saxon Minister of State for Environment and Agriculture, with his staff at the VKTA
  • 09/19/2019 – Ceremony for the discharge from the supervision of nuclear law and thus the end of the nuclear remediation

2020

  • Installation of the RFR monument in the entrance area of the research site
  • Participation of the VKTA in the analysis of the Flensburg meteorite
  • Official visit of the Saxon State Minister for Science and the Arts, Mr. Sebastian Gemkow

2021

  • Contract for the assumption of responsibility for the Rossendorf fuel elements by the federal government
  • The VKTA information newspaper is published in a new layout and under a new name
  • Participation of the VKTA at the KONTEC
  • Start of four new research projects in the deconstruction and disposal department
  • Participation in a new project for energy generation through geothermal energy
  • Certification of the VKTA by “berufundfamilie”
  • Welcoming a new member of the VKTA board of trustees

2022

  • Start of the dismantling of the last section of the special sewage system
  • Participation in the Dresden Science Night 2022
  • 30 years of VKTA
  • 40 years of low-level measuring laboratory Felsenkeller

2023

  • Participation in the SPIN2030 on February 3rd, 2023 in Leipzig
  • Participation in the Career Day on June 1st, 2023 in Dresden
  • 10th workshop on radiochemical analysis at the VKTA
  • Participation in the Dresden Science Night 2023
  • Participation in the Long Night of Sciences in Dresden
  • Presentation of the VKTA at the KONTEC