Fewer than third of Swiss back nuclear power

The construction of nuclear power plants in Switzerland and the maintenance of existing ones only received around 30% approval © Keystone / Gaetan Bally

Fewer than a third of Swiss people are in favour of nuclear power. Enthusiasm for wind turbines is also limited, according to a survey. The Swiss are primarily in favour of solar panels and hydroelectric power plants for their electricity supply.

According to a representative survey conducted by management consultants Deloitte and published by the news agency AWP, large-scale rooftop solar installations are seen as the most important option, with 63% in favour. This is followed by the expansion of existing reservoirs and hydroelectric power plants (53%).

The question was: “How would you secure Switzerland’s electricity supply for the coming decades?” Respondents were able to agree to several different options.

The construction of nuclear power plants and the maintenance of existing ones only received around 30% approval: 32% are in favour of keeping nuclear power plants “running for longer”. The construction of new “nuclear power plants with state-of-the-art technology” was favoured by 29%.

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New construction is currently prohibited in Switzerland. The Swiss population voted in favour of the nuclear phase-out in 2017. At that time, the revised Energy Act was approved with 58% of the vote. This stipulates that the existing four nuclear power plants may continue to operate for as long as they are safe. However, the construction of new nuclear power plants is prohibited.

Respondents were similarly cautious when it came to wind energy: 36% of respondents were in favour of wind turbines being erected in natural areas or in the mountains; 25% are in favour of wind turbines being built near residential areas.

Although energy sources such as wind energy and nuclear power are the subject of political debate, they are not accepted by a large proportion of the population, writes Deloitte.

Large gaps in knowledge

Imports from abroad, which are already an essential part of the Swiss electricity supply – especially in winter – are also not widely accepted by the population. Only 10% are in favour of importing electricity. According to Deloitte, scepticism among the population also plays a role in how reliably neighbouring countries would supply electricity to Switzerland in the event of a Europe-wide shortage.

+ Switzerland to use nuclear energy longer than expected

Meanwhile, the survey also revealed gaps in knowledge on energy issues, writes the consultancy firm. For example, only 17% of participants were aware that Swiss electricity production is now almost 100% CO2-free. In 2022, over 60% of electricity in Switzerland was produced by hydropower plants and over a third by nuclear power.

In turn, only 19% were aware that a site for the final repository for nuclear waste had already been found in Switzerland. The National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra) announced in September 2022 that it considers the Nördlich Lägern region in canton Zurich to be the best location for the construction of a deep geological repository. It is currently working on a general licence application.

The market research institute Cint was commissioned by Deloitte to survey 1,900 people in Switzerland between November 10-20.

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