Swiss government leaves door open to construction of new nuclear power plants

Despite criticism, the Federal Council wants to allow the construction of new nuclear power plants. Keystone-SDA

The construction of new nuclear power plants in Switzerland should be authorised again, according to the government.

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Despite facing strong criticism during a recent consultation process, the Federal Council is sticking to its counterproposal to the “Stop the blackout” popular initiative, which calls for allowing all types of climate-friendly electricity generation. The Green Party are threatening to launch a referendum.

On Wednesday, the Federal Council adopted its message on the indirect counter-proposal to the popular initiative “Electricity for all at all times (Stop the blackout)”. It rejects the popular initiative and recommends a counter-proposal. The matter now goes to parliament.

The counter-proposal aims to amend Switzerland’s Nuclear Energy Act so that new nuclear power plants can be authorised in Switzerland again. By calling for the authorisation of all climate-friendly forms of power generation, the initiative indirectly demands this.

The initiative wants it to be inscribed in the constitution that Switzerland’s electricity supply must be guaranteed at all times and that the federal government must define the necessary responsibilities for this. Based on this demand, the Federal Council rejects the initiative. This is because it would be a departure from the current division of labour in energy supply between the municipalities, cantons and the federal government.

Divided opinions in consultation process

In the consultation process, the Federal Council received support for its plan from the Swiss People’s Party, the Radical-Liberal Party and the Federal Democratic Union. Most businesses and the Association of Electricity Companies were also in favour.

The Social Democratic Party, the Centre Party, the Green Party, the Liberal Green Party and the Protestant Party, as well as environmental organisations, rejected the proposal. A majority of the cantons also said “no” to the Federal Council’s plan.

Nuclear power and renewables are not mutually exclusive

The government did not make any changes to its message published on Wednesday, compared to the consultation draft. According to the press release, however, it did address the demands.

It stated that the indirect counter-proposal was not about a specific decision to build new nuclear power plants, as there were currently no concrete projects. The financing of any projects was therefore not the subject of the proposal.

Furthermore, the expansion of renewable electricity production should be “consistently” pursued. Renewable energies and new nuclear power plants are not mutually exclusive.

In addition, a report on Switzerland’s future energy policy would include nuclear power plants. The report should be available by the end of 2027 and outline possible developments up to 2060.

Possible referendum

According to the government’s statement, no constitutional amendment is required for this paradigm shift in energy policy. An amendment to the Nuclear Energy Act would suffice.

The Green Party declared on Wednesday that it would launch a referendum against any amendment. It called the Federal Council’s plan a “nonsensical return to nuclear power”. The government was also criticised by the Social Democrats, the Liberal Greens and environmental groups.

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Adapted from German by DeepL/sb

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