The Swiss government (Federal Council) has presented draft legislation to end its ban on building new NPPs, reversing a policy adopted in 2018 to phase out nuclear power. The plan would allow companies to apply for licences to construct reactors if the legislation is approved by parliament and upheld by a referendum.
Switzerland currently has four ageing nuclear reactors generating about a third of its electricity. These are the two-unit Beznau NPP (730 MWe), the single unit 985 MWe Gösgen NPP and the single unit 1,165 MWe Leibstadt NPP. They all have an unlimited operating licence and can be operated as long as they are safe. A fifth reactor, the 372 MWe the Mühleberg NPP, was closed in 2019 and is undergoing decommissioning.
The decision to reconsider the nuclear ban reflects a clear change in public opinion. While the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster led Switzerland to adopt a policy of gradually withdrawing from nuclear power. Recent legislative developments have shown support for a more flexible approach to energy policy. These include the Electricity for Everyone at All Times (also known as the Stop the Blackout initiative) launched in February by centre-right parties challenging the ban on new NPPs.
The Federal Council in September 2024 now considered the Electricity for Everyone at All Times initiative and rejected it in favour of a counter-proposal which seeks the same outcome but aims to simplify the process.
The initiative proposed that the federal constitution should state that the power supply must be ensured at all times and that the federal government should determine the necessary responsibilities. Electricity production should be environmentally and climate-friendly and all climate-friendly types of electricity generation should be permitted. Adoption of the initiative would result in a new division of tasks between the Confederation and the cantons and the abolition of the January 2018 ban on the construction of new nuclear power plants.
The Federal Council pointed out that the federal constitution already prescribes a wide range of energy supplies. “Therefore, lifting the new building ban for nuclear power plants does not require a constitutional change. An adjustment at the legal level is sufficient.” It is also not necessary to anchor in the federal constitution that the federal government defines the responsibilities for security of electricity supply. “The federal constitution already regulates that the federal government and the cantons are committed to energy supply within the scope of their responsibilities”. Also, the initiative could question the possible operation of reserve power plants during electricity shortages and would create new uncertainties in the power supply. “For all these reasons, the Federal Council rejects the popular initiative.”
If the NPPs are shut down, the loss of electricity must be compensated for by other domestic production facilities. “It remains to be seen whether the expansion of renewable energies will take place quickly enough to be able to cover the lost capacities and the increasing electricity demand in good time,” the Federal Council noted. “In the sense of responsible planning of security of electricity supply, the Federal Council is therefore striving for openness to technology. The existing ban on new construction for nuclear power plants is not compatible with the goal of open technology and also harbours risks for the dismantling of existing plants.”
The Swiss Parliament will discuss both the initiative and the government’s legislation. The government is urging voters to reject the Stop the Blackout initiative, arguing a legal change is faster and avoids the uncertainty of a constitutional amendment. Lawmakers have until August 2026 to decide on both proposals. Unless the initiative is withdrawn, voters will have the final say in a referendum.
“Lifting the ban does not necessarily mean that new nuclear power plants will be built,” a spokesperson for Swiss utility Axpo Holdings AG said. The company, which operates 60% of Switzerland’s nuclear capacity said it could work on fresh construction but currently has no plans to build or invest in a new project. “A company such as Axpo cannot bear the regulatory and financial risks alone. Some form of risk sharing is needed,” the spokesperson added.
