ASSET MANAGEMENT | REPURPOSING BIBLIS Germany’s return Biblis and
Germany’s energy landscape is set for a radical transformation as repurposed decommissioned fission power plant assets are harnessed
to develop a full-scale fusion research and prototype power plant campus. Thomas Forner, co-founder and joint CEO of Focused Energy tells NEI how Germany could regain a seat at the top table with fusion.
WHEN GERMANY SHUT DOWN ITS last fission reactors in 2023, few imagined that one of those sites might soon be touted as one of Europe’s most advanced candidates for a commercial fusion power plant. Yet, just two years after its final shuttering, the Biblis nuclear power plant site in southern Hesse is re-emerging as the cornerstone of a future fusion industry. A detailed feasibility study by Arthur D. Little (ADL) and
laser fusion company Focused Energy proposes that Biblis be transformed into a full-scale fusion hub, culminating in what could become Europe’s first operational fusion power plant. The proposal not only reflects a new confidence that fusion is transitioning from research into industrial engineering but the potential for Germany to take the lead in fusion technology development. “This is a great opportunity for Germany, as fusion energy
is rapidly gaining strategic importance,” Thomas Forner, co-founder and joint CEO of Focused Energy tells NEI. Fundamentally though, the feasibility study depicts Biblis as technically advantageous for fusion. According to ADL, the existing building structures, including turbine halls, storage buildings, and especially the large reinforced reactor domes, can be repurposed for laser laboratories, target fabrication, high-power laser test stations, and eventually a full demonstration power plant.
This is not merely a matter of saving money, though the
financial implications are substantial. It also represents a timely reuse of existing assets. Decommissioning a fission site to greenfield condition can be a lengthy process when all the various radioactive components, civil structures are fully accounted for within the rigorous regulatory frameworks that govern nuclear sites. Germany’s accelerated fission phase-out meant that sites like Biblis have already entered this long, expensive cycle but the Focused Energy proposal interrupts that trajectory in a targeted manner. Forner explains: “Rather than building it back to greenfield, which is almost impossible and takes ages, we said the only thing we need to do is decommission to a certain extent. We need a lot of infrastructure you need in fusion as well. We need access to the grid. We need warehouses. So all the supporting buildings that are there can be used.” The reactor secondary containment domes having
already undergone most of the internal decommissioning work needed to clear fission reactor components, what remains is compatible with the regulatory framework for fusion. As Forner explains: “Currently fusion is still in a radiation safety environment, which we still will continue. So with this site, we already have a favourable regulatory baseline for fusion,” says Forner noting that. Germany is
Above: The existing buildings, including turbine halls and the large reinforced reactor domes
at Biblis can be repurposed for laser laboratories, target fabrication, high-power laser test stations, and eventually a demonstration fusion power plant Source: RWE
26 | December 2025 |
www.neimagazine.com
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