Emergency preparedness in Germany: recent progress in on-site accident management and off-site emergency response

In Germany, for nuclear power plants a variety of measures has been develop ed plant internally to prevent core damage and to mitigate its consequences as well as for off-site disaster control. As the most recent achievement i n this field the implementation of passive autocatalytic recombiners has be en initiated and is carried out now. This measure is counteracting potentia l threats of hydrogen explosions to containment, building and component int egrity; hydrogen is formed during core melt mainly by Zirconium-water react ion. As a further on-site activity the required measures for accident manag ement training are harmonized by the development of exercise manuals. A fir st volume of this manual has been completed. It is devoted to exercises usi ng conventional event sheets. The second phase is underway forcing the appl ication of full-scope simulators to exercises. A significant activity prese ntly carried out is the implementation of a crisis centre of the Federal Go vernment.