Contents
In order to combat climate change, pro-nuclear forces want to reverse the phase-out of nuclear energy. What is required and what speaks against it? An overview.
The status quo: After the accident in Fukushima in 2011, the Federal Council decided to phase out nuclear energy. In 2017, voters confirmed this decision with 58 percent of the vote by voting for the gradual decommissioning of the country’s five existing nuclear power plants.
In September 2023, Councilor of States Thierry Burkart (FDP/AG) submitted the proposal postulate which, among other things, calls on the Federal Council to show how the electricity mix in Switzerland will develop. He writes: “The construction of new nuclear power plants should also be a possible scenario if the expansion of other low-emission capacities progresses too slowly.”
The Federal Council states in an initial statement: “The postulant would like the Federal Council to also consider the construction of new nuclear power plants as a possible scenario[…] The acceptance of the postulate does not constitute a precedent for lifting the ban on the construction of new nuclear power plants.”
We are interested in your opinion! Discuss with people from all over Switzerland on the SRG offer “dialog”!
The initiative: On February 16, 2024, the popular initiative “Electricity for everyone at all times (stop blackout)” was also submitted. She demands that the federal constitution must be changed so that “every form of climate-friendly electricity generation [erlaubt ist]». The aim of the article is to enshrine entrepreneurial freedom in the energy sector in the constitution, as long as the technologies are not fossil-based, with the underlying idea of reversing the 2017 nuclear phase-out vote.
According to the bourgeois camp and part of the business community, these measures are necessary because nuclear energy is essential for Switzerland’s energy security and its strategy against global warming.
The opposing side: There is a lot of resistance to nuclear power, especially on the left. From a technical perspective, many experts point out that setting up new power plants is a lengthy process, that these power plants could not be put into operation before 2050 and that a major technical risk remains.
Secondly, from an economic perspective, part of the energy industry is reluctant to invest in nuclear energy. They consider them too expensive compared to renewable energies and unprofitable in the long term due to the operating and waste treatment costs.
Finally, from an ecological perspective, nuclear energy is climate-friendly, but the question of how to dispose of radioactive waste is fueling resistance from environmental parties and environmentalists.
A look abroad: This dilemma – further investment in nuclear energy or an exit from the energy sector – is exacerbated by concerns about climate change and the recent energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Japan has restarted its reactors after Fukushima. Other countries, especially China, India and Russia, are currently building nuclear power plants. Countries such as Poland, Romania and South Korea are planning to build such reactors. In addition, France, Belgium and Finland are extending the life of existing power plants. Not to mention the new generations of power plants that are becoming increasingly interesting for pro-nuclear circles.