Best estimate of the new Swiss nuclear dawn is decades away

Energy experts and politicians warned that bringing new nuclear power plants online in Switzerland would take decades because of the many political and financial obstacles. This comes after the Swiss government announced its plans to lift an existing ban on new nuclear plants.

The Federal Council reversed its decision from 2017 to abandon nuclear power in order to achieve climate goals, and to respond to geopolitical uncertainty, such as the Ukraine War, which has fueled fears of outages.

Le Temps, a Swiss newspaper, called the decision "good news", citing the global changes that have occurred since Fukushima, the nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011. This was the event that sparked Switzerland's exit strategy.

Few expect that change will come quickly or easily.

Stephanie Eger is a nuclear energy expert with the Swiss Energy Foundation. She said that the process to change the law, find billions in funding, obtain permits, and build a plant would take 35 years.

Eger, who argued that there are cheaper and more sustainable options, said that subsidies would be very likely to be needed.

Swiss government statistics show that currently, nuclear power accounts for nearly a third (32%) of the country's electricity production, while hydropower is responsible for 62%. Fossil energy and renewable energy, excluding hydropower, account for just 9% of Switzerland's energy.

Andreas Pautz is the head of the Center for Nuclear Engineering and Sciences, a research center at the Paul Scherrer Institut. He said that the time needed to lift the nuclear ban and obtain licenses would make it unlikely for construction to begin before 2040.

Pautz stated that if this happened, and with improvements to the supply chain and simplified regulations, commercial operations would begin in the mid-2040s.

Roger Nordmann was more skeptical, and thought it would take until the 2060s.

He said that the process would be long and difficult, with three referendums required to approve a new plant in Switzerland's direct democratic system.

The remaining three plants, which were built between the 1960s and 1980s, are old and in need of replacement.

Marianne Zund, spokesperson for the Energy Ministry, said that it is too early to estimate a date for new projects.

She said that current plants can continue to operate until they reach 60 years old, provided they meet safety requirements.

Even if the government defeats parliamentary resistance, pockets of local opposition can threaten progress.

The core of Switzerland's first reactor was melted in 1969. This sparked safety concerns that persist today. The cost is another challenge, as neighbours such as France have gone billions of dollar over budget with nuclear projects.

Nathan Solothurnmann, Greenpeace, said that the announcement was too late. "And it is a distraction, because we need renewables to be our focus now." (Reporting and editing by Dave Graham, Emma Farge)

(source: Reuters)