Achi news desk-
Swiss power supply company Axpo is currently examining whether the world’s oldest nuclear power plant in Beznau, Switzerland, can continue to operate for more than 60 years, until 2040, the company announced on Thursday.
The previous plan envisaged the nuclear power station, commissioned in 1969, being taken off the grid in 2030.
“In order to further strengthen the security of supplies, Axpo has decided to clarify the technical feasibility of operating the Beznau nuclear power plant beyond 60 years,” the company said in a statement.
According to the company, the Beznau nuclear power plant consists of two almost identical plants, each with a light water reactor and 365 megawatts of capacity.
Both sites are designed for 8,000 full load hours or approximately 355 operating days per year. Together, they produce around 6,000 gigawatt hours of electricity each year.
The company said the nuclear power plant continues to meet “highest safety requirements.”
The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate confirmed in a letter in 2023 that the nuclear power plant complies with current safety standards.
However, the Swiss federal government already announced on May 25, 2011, that it had decided to phase out nuclear energy in the long term.
According to the government’s decision, the nuclear power stations will remain operational until they reach the end of their service life, after which they will not be replaced.
On May 21, 2017, the Swiss people approved the government’s Energy Strategy 2050 through a referendum, with 58.2% voting in favor.
As a result, the construction of new nuclear power plants is prohibited, while renewable energy and more efficient use of energy is encouraged.
The possibility of further commissioning of the nuclear plant in Benznau is causing controversy in Switzerland.
“There are a number of security flaws in Beznau,” criticized Nils Epprecht, managing director of the Swiss Energy Institute, among others.
According to the energy expert, the fuel pools, for example, are not adequately protected, the two reactor pressure vessels are severely weakened, and the containment is far too thin to withstand destructive forces.
“Correcting these defects would effectively mean a new building and would be far too expensive,” said Epprecht.
Switzerland was also affected by the energy crisis in 2022/2023, which was triggered by the war in Ukraine.
Due to international sanctions against Russia, a large portion of the Russian natural gas needed in Europe for heating and electricity production is missing.
The fact that France had to close more than half of its nuclear power plants in 2022, partly due to maintenance and partly due to corrosion damage, also exacerbated the energy crisis.
