Switzerland’s Beznau nuclear plant fully operational after shutdowns

Switzerland’s Beznau nuclear power plant has returned to full operation after being shut down several times in recent months because of unusually high temperatures, Swiss energy company Axpo has said.

According to the company, Reactor 2 at the plant in northern Switzerland, the oldest nuclear power plant still operating in Europe, was reconnected to the grid on Thursday, Caliber.Az reports, citing Euronews.

The recent European heatwaves pushed temperatures in the Aare River to unusually high levels. The river is used by the plant for cooling.

Reactor 1 returned to service on August 21. Axpo noted that Reactor 2 was now gradually increasing its output and was expected to reach full capacity within about two days.

Reactor 2 had been taken offline on August 4 for scheduled refuelling, during which 20 of its 121 fuel assemblies were replaced.

The Beznau plant was also temporarily shut down in June and July because of high Aare River temperatures. The river drains almost half of Switzerland before flowing into the Rhine.

Several nuclear power plants across Europe have reduced output or temporarily suspended operations during this summer’s heatwaves because of high water temperatures.

Nuclear power accounts for slightly more than a third of Switzerland’s electricity generation.

Switzerland has four ageing nuclear reactors, including Beznau’s two units, which together supply about 10% of the country’s electricity demand.

Reactor 1 began operating in 1969, while Reactor 2 was commissioned in 1971, making Beznau one of the world’s oldest nuclear power plants still in operation.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov