Axpo wants to shut down Beznau nuclear power plant for good in 2033

No time? blue News summarizes for you

• Axpo plans to operate Block 2 of the Beznau nuclear power plant until 2032 and Block 1 until 2033, after which it will be decommissioned, which means a service life of 64 years.
• The decision is based on extensive reviews involving specialists and authorities; 350 million Swiss francs will be invested to ensure continued operation.
• The Beznau nuclear power plant supplies 6 terawatt hours of electricity per year for 1.3 million households and is one of the oldest in the world, while younger power plants such as Leibstadt are to be operated until 2045.

Summary created with

Power plant operator Axpo has decided that Block 2 of the nuclear power plant will continue to run until 2032 and Block 1 until 2033, according to a press release issued on Thursday. They will then be decommissioned and shut down. Beznau will therefore have 64 years of electricity production when it is shut down.

The decision follows "extensive" reviews, Axpo writes. External specialists, suppliers and the supervisory authority Ensi were involved. "Safety was the top priority in all considerations."

Axpo invests 350 million francs

To ensure continued operation, Switzerland's largest energy company will invest a further 350 million Swiss francs. Since commissioning, Axpo has invested over 2.5 billion in the retrofitting and modernization of the two power plant units.

The Beznau nuclear power plant produces around 6 terawatt hours of electricity per year, which corresponds to the consumption of 1.3 million four-person households. Block 1 has been on the grid since 1969 and Block 2 since 1971. The reactors have open-ended operating licenses and there has been no specific shutdown date to date.

Within the industry, a service life of at least 60 years has so far been assumed. Switzerland's youngest and largest nuclear power plant in Leibstadt, for example, which has been in operation since 1984, is expected to produce electricity until at least 2045.