Axpo announced today that it will take the nuclear power plants in Döttingen, Aargau, off the grid from 2032 onwards. How it all started.
interest in nuclear energy arose in Switzerland shortly after the end of World War II. On November 5, 1945, the federal government convened a study commission for atomic energy under the chairmanship of the physicist Paul Scherrer, the name of wich is now the largest research center for natural sciences and engineering in Switzerland, the Paul Scherrer institute PSI.
The first nuclear experiments in Aargau
In the early 1950s,the federal government obtained tons of uranium from the Belgian Congo and fuel elements from Canada,as the Swiss historical dictionary notes in an article. The federal government lent the material to a company based in Würenlingen AG, which helped wiht finance and carried out the first experiments in nuclear technology.
The ”Aargauer Zeitung” wrote five years ago on the 50th anniversary of the Beznau nuclear power plant that in the 1950s and 60s nobody in the canton of Aargau talked about the risks of nuclear energy. Rather, it was seen as a solution to the increasing demand for energy and, more importantly, as an environmentally kind solution.
At the beginning of 1964, Nordostschweizerische Kraftwerke AG (NOK) – that was the name of Axpo before – decided to build a reactor in Beznau in Aargau. Planning for a large power plant began in 1957. In 1964 the nuclear energy option was chosen.
As part of a simple celebration in the presence of Federal Councilor Willy Spühler, the construction of the first industrial nuclear power plant in Switzerland began on the island of Beznau in Döttingen at the beginning of September 1965 (see picture above).
The “tank” for the reactor of Switzerland’s first nuclear power plant is taking shape. (August 3, 1966)
KEY-RESIDENCE/Photographer-archive/Str
Legend:
The construction took more than four years. (August 1967)
KEYCHONE/PHOTOGRAPHER-ARCHIVES/Str
But all was not smooth during the construction work: in Waldenburg BL, a steam generator for the nuclear power plant fell off a low loader and blocked traffic for several hours, as captured by a photographer from the time.
Legend:
The transport company Welti-Furrer – which still exists today – tried to turn the inclined steam generator around again. (July 24, 1967)
ARCHIVE KEY/Photographer/Armbruster
Then the first nuclear power plant was completed in Switzerland.on September 6, 1969, Beznau 1 whent online for an experimental program. The commercial launch took place on 9 December.
Although the reactor was in operation for several months, it was not officially opened until May of the following year, 1970.
Together with the identical unit 2, which was put into operation in 1972, the Beznau nuclear power plant produced about 6,000 gigawatt hours of electricity per year and doubled its output to 365 megawatts. This means that around 1.3 million families of four can now be supplied with electricity and around 18,000 residents with district heating.
No major incidents
As Beznau 1 and 2 went into effect, no serious incidents have occurred so far. On the scale of nuclear malfunctions according to the Ines international Incident Scale, which ranges from 0 (deviation) to 7 (major accident), there were four level 1 events and one level 2 event with an increased dose of radiation exposure. though, her health was not in danger.
This is what the Beznau nuclear power plant in Döttingen looks like today.
REUTERS/Ard Wiegmann
As announced by the operator of the Beznau nuclear power plant, Beznau 1 will provide electricity until 2033 and Beznau 2 until 2032 before they are finally taken off the grid. In order to continue to guarantee the safety of the population, 350 million francs will be invested in continuous operation. Hopefully there will be only minor incidents until then.
When was the Beznau nuclear power plant officially completed and operational?
The construction of the Beznau nuclear power plant in Aargau, Switzerland, began in September 1965, marking a significant step in the country’s adoption of nuclear energy, which was officially chosen as the option for power generation in 1964. The project involved elaborate planning that started in 1957.
As construction progressed, notable milestones were reached, such as the early shaping of the reactor tank by August 1966 and the completion of the construction phase, which took more than four years, culminating in August 1967. Photographs from this period highlight both the scale of the undertaking,featuring numerous cranes and heavy machinery,as well as challenges encountered. One such challenge involved the transport of a steam generator that fell off a low loader in Waldenburg BL, causing traffic disruptions. Efforts by the transport company Welti-Furrer to upright the fallen generator were documented,showcasing the logistical difficulties faced during the construction.
the beznau nuclear power plant represents an crucial chapter in Switzerland’s energy history,reflecting the complexities and ambitions of building the first industrial nuclear facility in the nation.