This year the Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) celebrates its 35th anniversary. Since its foundation in January 1977, GRS has gained its reputation as a research and expert organisation in the field of reactor safety, repository safety and radiation protection. But increasingly, GRS is also exploring non-nuclear fields. It is time for an overall view of the most important events of the last decades.

The 70‘s: GRS is positionings itself

The Gesellschaft für Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) is established in the 70‘s as a result of the merger of two institutions: the Institute for Reactor Safety of the Technical Inspection Agencies (IRS) and the Laboratory for Reactor Control and Plant Safety (LRA). Initially, the scientists and technical employees work at the GRSs locations in Cologne and Garching near Munich.

The German Risk Study of Nuclear Power Plants. In the 70’s, the safety of the nuclear safety is intensively discussed in Germany. One year after its establishment, GRS publishes the “German Risk Study of Nuclear Power Plants (phase A)” („Deutsche Risikostudie Kernkraftwerke “). To this day, this study is still the most famous and most frequently cited investigations of German nuclear power plants. With this study, the Methodology of Probabilistic Safety Analysis (PSA) for the evaluation of technical systems is introduced for the first time in Germany. The second part of the study is published in 1988.

Three Mile Island. In 1979 it comes to a partial core meltdown in the American Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. GRS analyses the accident sequence, draws a comparison to the safety of German nuclear power plants, and makes recommendations for improving them.

The 80‘s: Expansion of nuclear power and Chernobyl dominate the everyday work
At the beginning of the 80‘s, the Federal Government decides to expand the nuclear power. GRS evaluates the safety of the nuclear power plants, the radiological situation both in normal operation and in the event of an accident. At its location in Garching, GRS installs a test control room to simulate the processes in a pressurised-water reactor.

Chernobyl. After the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, Tschernobyl  as a first scientific institution worldwide, GRS informs on the causes, the sequence and the effects of the accident. Chernobyl becomes an important subject in scientific research and evaluation of GRS. GRS is still working on Chernobyl projects today, e.g. the project on the New Safe Confinement, currently under construction.

Partnership with IRSN. In the late 80’s, GRS and the Institut de Protection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IPSN) establish a cooperation in partnership regarding safety-related questions, which lasts to this day.

The 90‘s: Safety research after the reunification
Location Berlin. In 1990, GRS opens the location in Berlin and takes over the employees of the Staatliches Amt für Atomsicherheit und Strahlenschutz der DDR (SAAS). After the reunification, on behalf of the Federal Ministry of the Environment (BMU), GRS deals with safety-related questions in the new Länder, e.g. on the Morsleben repository (ERAM), on the remediation of the WISMUT AG, or on safety assessment of nuclear power plants. After the opening of the borders with the Soviet Union, GRS also accesses the safety of Eastern nuclear power plants in order to contribute to the improvement of their safety. Further objectives are above all the transfer of methods and knowledge, and the support in establishing licensing authorities.

Riskaudit and ISTec. In 1992, GRS establishes two subsidiaries Institut für Sicherheitstechnologie GmbH (ISTec) 

and – together with IRSN – Riskaudit. Rskaudit takes the lead of the two technical offices in Moscow and Kiev. The main focus of their activities should primarily be the coordination of the work in Eastern countries.

French-German Initiative (DFI). In 1996, the German and French environmental ministers establish the French-German Initiative. The object of this initiative is to resolve the outstanding questions on the Chernobyl accident ten years after. GRS and its partner organisation are charged with the implementation of the initiative. In the following years, they publish several scientific papers on this subject.

Renaming. Especially non-nuclear issues are gaining increasing importance in GRS. The renaming in 1991, into Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) results from the extension of the scope of activities.

Location in Braunschweig. In 1995, GRS opens the fourth location in Braunschweig. The takeover of the employees of the Institute of Underground Disposal of the Radiation and Environment Research Company results in a new focus in GRS: the Repository Safety Research.

EUROSAFE. GRS and IRSN bring the EUROSAFE-Initiative into being. In 1999, for the first time, the international Fachtagung  EUROSAFE Forum  EUROSAFE Forum takes place.

The years 2000 to 2010: The world after 11th September
The attack on the World Trade Center in September 2001 triggers new discussions on the safety of nuclear power plants. GRS is tasked by the Federal Government with the research on the impacts of a potential terrorist attack on nuclear power plants.

ETSON. In 2006, GRS, IRSN and Bel V found the European Technical Safety Organisations Network (ETSON) in order to develop comparable standards and common methodology for research and assessment of nuclear safety.

Change of Generations. Due to the age-related retirement of experts, GRS faces the challenge to maintain technical competence in the field of nuclear safety. Thus, GRS increasingly hires junior employees and expands the internal and further qualification programme i.a. by the Trainee Programme of GRS.

Since 2010: VSG and Fukushima
ENSTTI. In 2010, the ETSON members IRSN, LEI and GRS found the European Nuclear Safety Training and Tutoring Institute (ENSTTI), as a further specific measure for prospective experts.

The preliminary safety analysis for Gorleben. Together with other institutions, GRS works on the research project “Preliminary Safety Analysis for Gorleben (VSG). The main goal of the project is to develop a clearly documented forecast, on the basis of existing information, whether the site is suited for safe final disposal at all, and if so, under which conditions. Thus, methods necessary for the assessment of possible alternative sites are also developed.

Fukushima. On 11th March 2011, the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl takes place in Fukushima. Immediately after the accident, on behalf of the BMU, GRS starts to collect and analyse all available information about the accident, and to inform the ministries, the media and the public on the situation on the ground. The BMU and the Federal Minister of Economics and labour (BMEi) task GRS with research projects, where the exact accident sequence is analysed.

What about the future?
In the future, too, GRSs researchers and experts will be faced with issues on safety and decommissioning of nuclear power plants, disposal of radioactive waste and radiation protection, also non-nuclear issues presenting new challenges for them time and time again. The main focus will be the same as it always has been since the foundation of GRS: on the safety.

Further information
Brochure „30 years of research and expert activity“  (german)