The Beznau nuclear power plant in Switzerland, the oldest in Europe and one of the most ancient in the world, will cease operations in 2033, as announced by its operator on Thursday.
Connected to the grid since 1969, the Beznau plant will continue its operations “until 2033,” stated the Swiss energy company Axpo in a press release.
“Safety has been our top priority in all considerations,” the company emphasized. In a referendum held in 2017, Swiss citizens voted in favor of a gradual phase-out of nuclear energy, which currently accounts for 29% of the country’s electricity supply, by approving legislation that prohibits the construction of new plants.
This legislation was the result of a lengthy process initiated after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, triggered by a massive tsunami in March 2011 in Japan. Nonetheless, the five existing Swiss nuclear reactors are permitted to operate as long as they maintain safety standards. Environmental groups have long advocated for the closure of the two Beznau reactors.
Beznau 1, which began operations in 1969, will be decommissioned in 2033, while Beznau 2, connected to the grid since 1971, is scheduled to shut down a year earlier, in 2032, according to Axpo.
“The plants will then be decommissioned and dismantled,” the company added. Axpo plans to invest an additional 350 million Swiss francs (376 million euros) to ensure safe operations until 2033. Since its commissioning, the company has invested over 2.5 billion Swiss francs in the enhancement and modernization of Beznau.
