My Neighbour, the Nuclear Power Station

In the early 1960s, nuclear power stations were seen as the solution for clean and effective power generation. This changed as people became aware of the risks and the unresolved issue of how to disposal of nuclear waste. After years of political debate, the nuclear disaster in Fukushima in 2011 prompted the decision to decommission all German reactors permanently by 15 April 2023. This also applied in the municipality of Neckarwestheim in Southwest Germany, which has a nuclear power station nearby.

“Grüß Gott, Nachbarn” (Hi there, neighbours!) – This was the greeting to readers of the first edition of the newspaper insert ‘Nachbar GKN’ in March 1978. Being neighbours means knowing and trusting each other and taking responsibility for each other. But it also means keeping a check on each other and respecting mutual obligations. What does that mean for the community?

In Germany, discussions around nuclear power are dominated by fear. By contrast, many inhabitants of Neckarwestheim are concerned about having a stable power supply after nuclear phase-out. Some of them are using emergency power units and water containers to prepare for blackouts – a power cut that could last up to a week.

The pubs and restaurants in Neckarwestheim benefited from the power station. Particularly during the annual inspections, hundreds or even thousands of additional workers were brought to the power station, creating additional demand. When Block I was decommissioned, customer numbers collapsed. Other factors like the effects of the pandemic, increased prices and the lack of skilled labour are further challenges prompting many rural businesses to give up. But it wasn’t just the economy that was influenced by having a nuclear power station as a neighbour – there were also societal effects.

Many inhabitants personally know employees at the power station and get their information from them. Furthermore, ever since it was commissioned, the power station maintained a dialogue with the public and the inhabitants of the village to explain the working procedures. One of the residents said: “I basically always trusted that things in Germany work and are well monitored and that a tsunami like in Fukushima was unlikely in Neckarwestheim.”

Knowledge plays a major role in a neighbourly relationship. The citizens requested information about the processes and the safety in the nuclear power station. This knowledge was passed on over generations and became established in everyday conversations over the garden fence or at the local pub. That doesn’t mean that everyone is always in agreement or that there are no doubts. But fundamentally, they developed an image of themselves, and the nuclear power station became an integral part of that image over the years.

The logo for the anniversary year comprises a stylised ‘900’ – with the second zero showing an atomic model. The community has thus integrated the nuclear power station into its image for the first time in the year of decommissioning. Energy is equated with other aspects such as history and nature. In this way, the community wants to convey the message that Neckarwestheim is more than an ‘atomic village’.

What will remain when the nuclear power station has been dismantled? Or is it worthy of protection as an industrial monument? Could it become a place of reflection and education for sustainable and safe energy generation? Will the nuclear power station become part of the community’s collective memory? Is there a risk of financial decline and a crisis of identity? Most of the residents don’t see it that dramatically – but they do miss the steam cloud as an orientation point and a symbol of their home.