Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
What are your views on nuclear power? In Switzerland, the topic is currently very much on the agenda, with the so-called “Blackout Initiative” and a counterproposal from government aiming to overturn a ban on building new nuclear plants.
In a study on the future of the Swiss electricity supply, published today, energy group Axpo has now joined the debate with up-to-date figures and an overview of the pros and cons of nuclear energy. Enjoy the read.
Does Switzerland need new nuclear plants? Today, energy group Axpo presented its eagerly awaited study on the future of the country’s electricity supply.
According to Axpo, electricity demand in Switzerland looks set to rise in the coming years. At the same time, the country’s two oldest nuclear power plants, Beznau I and II, will be shut down in 2032 and 2033. What could Swiss electricity supply then look like?
In principle, Axpo considers the idea of new nuclear power plants “worth examining”, but emphasises that – for the company – they are “not a priority”. While this technology has its advantages, particularly with regard to winter electricity supply, there are many uncertainties overall, the study finds. For Axpo, another scenario looks more realistic: combining the roll-out of renewable energies like solar, hydro and wind power with the long-term operation of existing nuclear plants at Gösgen and Leibstadt. As a back-up, it also proposes building new gas-fired power plants.
Politically, the study – particularly its assessment of nuclear energy – is a significant one that will likely feed into political debates, especially since it provides argumentative fodder for both opponents and supporters of nuclear.
Since the start of the war in Iran three weeks ago, oil prices have risen, making petrol, diesel, heating oil, natural gas and kerosene more expensive. What are the financial consequences for Switzerland?
According to calculations by researcher Cyril Brunner from the federal technology institute ETH Zurich, extrapolated over a year, the war could mean added annual expenses of CHF4-5 billion ($4.1-6.3 billion) for Switzerland, the Tages-Anzeiger reports. Most of this is due to higher kerosene prices, followed by heating oil, which provides heat for a third of buildings in the country.
The calculation is just a snapshot based on the current situation, Brunner said. “Oil prices are very volatile and strongly depend on how the war unfolds,” he said. Nonetheless, he argued, it is useful for illustrating the potential costs of the war for Switzerland.
In addition to direct additional expenditure on things like driving or heating, the war is also slowing down the economy. Researchers from BAK Economics estimate that a persistently high oil price of $100 per barrel could cause a dip of 0.3% in Swiss GDP this year. This corresponds to a loss in value creation of some CHF2.5 billion.
Distributed across the more than four million Swiss households, this would mean an average burden of around CHF1,700 per household. However, the hit is unevenly distributed: people who fly less or heat with renewable energy are less affected.
Have you ever had a brilliant idea to revolutionise industry? If so, you are not alone in this country.
Switzerland is an inventive place. At least this is what the figures in the European Patent Office’s annual report suggest. According to the stats, Switzerland filed almost 10,000 patents last year alone.
In overall terms, this puts the country in seventh place worldwide and third in Europe, behind Germany and France. In relation to population size, meanwhile, it’s top of the pile: with 1,096 patents per one million inhabitants, Switzerland boasts the most applications per capita in the world.
Most patents are in the field of medical technology. The cantons with the greatest inventive spirit are Zurich, Vaud, Zug, Basel City and Geneva, which together account for more than half of all patent applications. Women, however, are underrepresented. In 2025, a woman was named as a co-inventor in just 27% of all applications from Switzerland submitted to the European office.
Flooding, avalanches, landslides: several campsites in Valais have to shut due to a threat of natural disasters. While the canton says the decision is due to an updated risk assessment, the affected facilities and municipalities are critical, while several operators have filed complaints with the cantonal court.
Virginie Gaspoz, the president of Evolène, one of the affected municipalities, told the RTS public broadcaster that “managing natural hazards is important, but we were already aware of this – we had evacuation plans, alarm and intervention plans.”
The Valais Camping Association is also fighting the plans, and has demanded that the decision by the cantonal building commission be suspended. The association particularly warns of consequences for the regional economy and an increase in “wild camping”.
The canton has meanwhile announced a new working group to come up with solutions with those involved. The decision is a matter of public safety, the authorities argue. “It’s about human lives, so measures naturally must be taken,” said Stéphane Coppey, the chair of the cantonal building commission. All Valais campsites were informed of the issue in 2020. “Some campsites have done this very well, others have not,” Coppey said. “Now, six years later, we have to resort to more drastic measures”.
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