Swiss power providers show little appetite for building nuclear plants

Nuclear power, yes, but not now. Keystone-SDA

Swiss energy companies welcome the lifting of the ban on the construction of nuclear power stations. But no company believes a nuclear project is economically viable for the moment.

A new nuclear power station is not a realistic prospect in the short to medium term, BKW has stated in response to an enquiry from the AWP news agency. “The conditions for a new nuclear power station do not currently exist for economic reasons and given the lack of stable public acceptance.” Therefore, for BKW, “building a new plant is out of the question”.

In the nuclear sector, the company is focusing on ensuring the long-term operation of the facilities at Leibstadt and Gösgen. “Thanks to the safe operation of these two plants, Switzerland will have sufficient time to further develop renewable energy production and ensure long-term security of supply, even in winter,” BKW added.

For Switzerland’s two largest energy groups, Alpiq and Axpo, too, the issue is not currently on the agenda. Should new nuclear power stations be built in Switzerland, stable political, regulatory and economic framework conditions would be necessary, argues Alpiq. “State support would therefore be indispensable.”

The state would have to bear the full burden of the “political, regulatory and financial risks”, echoes Axpo. For the Aargau-based group, it is important that – as currently provided for by law – existing nuclear power stations can remain in operation for as long as possible.

“This would be the most cost-effective option for securing large quantities of winter energy: it would give Switzerland the time it needs to scale up other technologies.”

A study recently published by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) concludes that, under current framework conditions, the construction of new nuclear power stations is not economically viable.

Competitiveness could only be achieved if there were state support and if the public sector were to assume part of the risks.

In Switzerland, the construction of a new nuclear power station is currently banned, but according to the government and parliament, it should once again be permitted.

At the end of June, however, a broad coalition of opponents launched a referendum against this decision: the public will likely be able to decide in February 2027 whether to lift the ban. In 2017, voters blocked the construction of new power stations by approving the revision of the Energy Act with 58% of the vote.

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Translated from Italian, reviewed by an English Department journalist.