Construction of the plant began in 1975 and was completed in 1986, but it operated for only about three years. Even before it opened, the project faced significant opposition from nearby municipalities, as well as delays caused by technical and supply issues. One of the most serious problems emerged during construction, when it was discovered that the site lay in an earthquake-prone basin. As a result, the structure was shifted approximately 70 metres from its originally approved location—an adjustment that later proved to be legally significant.
After just a short period of operation, the plant was forced to shut down indefinitely. New requirements for building permits were introduced, meaning the licensing process had to begin again if the plant were ever to return to service. However, that never happened. A higher administrative court in Koblenz revoked the original construction permit issued by the state government, a decision that was ultimately upheld by the Federal Administrative Court of Germany in 1998.
Decommissioning of the plant officially began in 2001, with the removal of nuclear fuel starting in 2002. One of the most visible milestones came in August 2019, when the plant’s massive cooling tower—once a dominant feature of the landscape—was demolished, marking the symbolic end of a project that had been controversial from the very beginning.
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