Switzerland. The nuclear power plant in Beznau will operate until 2033

In the 2017 referendum, the Swiss voted in favor of a law banning the construction of new nuclear power plants, which means the country is gradually moving away from nuclear energy, which currently provides 29 percent of its energy. energy. The act is the result of efforts undertaken after the disaster at the Japanese nuclear power plant in Fukushima in March 2011.

There are currently five nuclear power plants in Switzerland, which may continue to operate as long as there are no doubts about their safety. However, environmental protection organizations have been demanding the closure of two reactors in Beznau for many years. The Beznau 1 reactor, which has been connected to the grid since 1969, will be shut down in 2033, and the Beznau 2 reactor, which has been producing energy since 1971, a year earlier, the Axpo group reported. Both reactors will then be dismantled.

Axpo will invest 350 million Swiss francs to ensure the operation of the plant until 2033. Since its launch, the group has spent a total of over 2.5 billion francs on improvements and modernization. Greenpeace said in a statement that “extending Beznau's life” is an “unnecessary and dangerous experiment.” According to the organization, the future belongs to energy from renewable sources, which reduce the risk to the population and avoid “producing mountains of radioactive waste.”