Contents
Rising electricity prices, increasing energy demand and rising temperatures: the issues in the election “arena” are leading to a heated debate about the implementation of the energy transition. Is an expansion of renewable energies enough – or will the question of nuclear power plants come back?
Electricity prices continue to climb in Switzerland: on average, electricity will cost a full 18 percent more in 2024. For a household, this means additional expenses of 222 francs per year. And who is responsible for the electricity price hammer? For SVP National Councilor Mike Egger, it is the energy policy of the left and green parties, their “Pippi Longstocking policy”. “They make the world the way they like it. They promise a lot, but in the end we don’t have enough power.”
In 2017, voters approved the Energy Strategy 2050. This determines how Switzerland should gradually phase out nuclear energy. In order for this exit to be successful, the expansion of renewable energies must proceed much faster, replied SP National Councilor Nadine Masshardt. “We are still far too dependent on fossil energies, some of which come from dictatorships, instead of sufficiently expanding domestic energies such as wind, water and sun.”
To ensure that the expansion progresses more quickly, Parliament has, among other things, passed the so-called Solar Express. This stipulates that solar systems can be built more quickly in the mountains – for example in Valais. However, at the beginning of September, the Valais voters put the brakes on this solar express and rejected a corresponding decree from the cantonal government.
“This was a groundbreaking decision for nature,” said the Vice President of the Green Party, Florence Brenzikofer. Solar systems are needed in the Alps, but the locations must be selected intelligently. Solar systems make sense in Alpine areas where there is already infrastructure, for example near mountain railways.
GLP National Councilor Martin Bäumle, however, said he was disappointed with the decision in Valais. Parliament has done good work with the Solar Express, which should now under no circumstances be undermined. He said to Brenzikofer: “The Greens have to be on the books. They want to shut down the nuclear power plants as quickly as possible, but don’t want to build solar systems in the Alps. It doesn’t work out in the end.”
As long as we have not expanded renewables, the nuclear power plants should continue to operate.
How long should the Swiss nuclear power plants continue to operate? Or do we even need new ones? There was heated debate about this. The centrist National Councilor Stefan Müller-Altermatt summarized: “As long as we have not expanded renewables, the nuclear power plants should continue to operate.” However, he emphasized that the safety of nuclear power plants would deteriorate over time and that they would no longer be profitable. It is therefore crucial to use renewable resources.
Susanne Vincenz-Stauffacher, FDP National Councilor, also advocated that nuclear power plants must continue to operate. And she went even further: “We have the safest nuclear power plants you can imagine. But if they are to continue running, then we have to invest again in security.” Although the priority is to expand solar and wind energy, security of supply should not be forgotten, says Vincenz-Stauffacher. “And we also have to think about nuclear power.”
In June, with the adoption of the Climate Protection Act, the population clearly voted for Switzerland to become climate neutral by 2050. Politicians are now required to find solutions.