Lifecycle

According to Swiss understanding, a nuclear installation means any installation or installations intended for the use of nuclear energy, the extraction, production, use, processing or storage of nuclear materials, and the management of radioactive waste in accordance with the nuclear energy act. As well as nuclear power plants, research reactors or other equipment for research using fission products qualify as nuclear installation. Interim storage facilities for radioactive waste and deep geological repositories also count as nuclear installations.

The life cycle of a modern nuclear power plant is around 100 years; 10 years of construction and commissioning, 80 years of operation and 10 years of decommissioning. Sources: www.nuklearforum.ch, http://kraftwerke.vattenfall.de/forsmark, www.grs.de

The construction requires a general license from the federal council which requires mandatory ratification by the parliament. The approval of a general licence is subject to optional referendum, so that – at least for nuclear plants relating to the production of electricity (nuclear power plants, interim storages, deep geological repositories) – it must be assumed that the public ultimately decides on the granting of a general license. The construction and operation licences are granted within the framework of a legally prescribed process after an application and scrutiny by the relevant authority department. The operation is subject to monitoring by the supervisory authority. Changes on the plant which deviate from construction or operation permit require additional approvals based on the procedure which applies to them or based on direct approvals from the supervisory authority.

Once the plant has reached the end of its life, it is shut down and decommissioned. Whereas the final shutdown, to the extent that it is not required by the authorities because of some major defect, is the free decision of the owner, the decommissioning undergoes a similar process to the construction permit. Once the legal order for decommissioning takes effect, the plant is dismantled. The decommissioning is completed once the plant no longer constitutes a radiological hazard and has been released from nuclear legislation.

For further information see ENSI, Swissnuclear and the sites of the Swiss nuclear power plants.