Nuclear reactor to stay online

The Beznau II reactor has been operating since the early 1970s Keystone

The government has given a power company unlimited authorisation to operate a controversial nuclear reactor in northern Switzerland.

Green groups say the authorities have surrendered to the demands of the nuclear lobby, which is pushing for more power plants.

The authorities gave the green light to the continued operation of the Beznau II reactor on Friday, despite opposition from the German and Austrian governments as well as environmental organisations such as Greenpeace.

The government said it based its decision on advice from its nuclear security division as well as the Federal Committee on Nuclear Security.

Greenpeace claims that the reactor, which went online in 1971, is ten times more likely to melt down than another reactor at the Gösgen plant which was built nearly a decade later.

Safety issues

The energy ministry said the decision would encourage the operator to invest in upgrading the plant and improving safety at the reactor site.

The Swiss Energy Foundation (SEF), which has been lobbying against nuclear power for 30 years, says the authorities have given in to the powerful economic interests of power-plant operators.

Green Party parliamentarian and SEF president Geri Müller expressed doubt that any power company granted unlimited authorisation to manage a nuclear reactor would “invest in expensive safety measures”.

He also questioned whether a recent move to distribute iodine tablets to households living near the reactor was “enough to ensure people’s safety”.

Monitoring

The government has made it clear that authorisation to operate the reactor can be withdrawn at any time if it decides that security is insufficient at the site.

Greenpeace argues that the criteria that have to be fulfilled to force the closure of a reactor need to be clearly established. The SEF also warns that there are no clearly defined safety levels.

Authorisation for Beznau II, along with the Mühleberg reactor near the Swiss capital, Bern, has until now only been granted for fixed periods of time.

The three other Swiss reactors – Beznau I, Gösgen and Leibstadt – already benefit from unlimited authorisation.

Leibstadt was the last Swiss nuclear power plant to open in 1984. Plans to build another reactor in Kaiseraugst, not far from Basel, were abandoned following widespread opposition during the 1980s.

Looking ahead

The Swiss do not appear ready to abandon nuclear power. Last year voters rejected two initiatives calling for an official end to nuclear power and a moratorium on nuclear-plant construction.

Recently, pressure on the government to consider new plants has increased, with power companies warning that current nuclear reactors will have to be decommissioned by 2020.

Dori Schaer, who headed a government committee that laid the groundwork for Switzerland’s planned electricity law, says the power companies have a point.

“We don’t know how we are going to replace the power supplied by the nuclear reactors when they are finally switched off,” Schaer told swissinfo.

“Renewable energy sources have failed to live up to their billing and cost too much. Given that it takes over ten years to authorise and build a new plant, time is of the essence.”

swissinfo with agencies

Key facts

There are four nuclear power plants and five reactors in Switzerland.
In 2003, they produced nearly 26,000 million kilowatt hours.
40% of Swiss electricity is produced by nuclear plants.

In brief

The Beznau I reactor has been supplying electricity since 1969, while Beznau II went online in 1971.

The plant is operated by the Northeastern Switzerland Power Company, generating 5.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity each year.