Beznau Nuclear Power Plant

The Beznau nuclear power plant (german: Kernkraftwerk Beznau ''KKB is a nuclear power plant of the Swiss energy utility Axpo, located in the municipality Döttingen, Canton of Aargau, Switzerland, on an artificial island in the Aar river. The plant has been operating since September 1969.

History

Beznau 1 and 2

Beznau 1 is the first commercial nuclear power reactor in Switzerland.

Putting an end to the traditional predilection of the Swiss power utilities for hydroelectric power, in the beginning of the 1960s the then Nordostschweizerische Kraftwerke AG (NOK, now part of Axpo Holding) started to take into account the construction of a nuclear power plant. On 23 December 1964 the Swiss Federal Office of Energy recognized the artificial island in Beznau as potential location for a reactor. The corresponding construction permit was issued on 2 November 1965 and, after only four years, on 12 May 1969 commissioning was authorized. On 24 December 1969 Beznau 1 started commercial operation.. In German.

In the meantime the procedure for the construction of the identical reactor Beznau 2 had begun. The location and a first construction permit were approved on 17 November 1967, followed on 21 September 1970 by the final one. The commissioning started on 16 July 1971 and the reactor finally entered the commercial operation phase on 15 March 1972.

Beznau 1 obtained an unlimited operating license already on 30 October 1970. On the contrary Beznau 2 operated under temporary licenses until 3 December 2004, when the Swiss Federal Council removed the limitation.

The power plant was built in the 1960s, when little opposition to nuclear projects was present. Over the years Beznau has been the scene of some anti-nuclear protests, but such opposition never widespread among the majority of the local population. The cantonal citizens systematically rejected all votes on early shutdown of existing plants and on building suspension of new ones. Finally, in 2007 the cantonal parliament entrusted the government to act in order to promote the building of a new reactor.

As of 2018 no date for a definitive shutdown of the KKB has been set. From a technical point of view, similar types of reactors can probably operate safely to at least 60 years and probably until 80 years. Beznau's Unit 1 is among the oldest commercial nuclear power plants still in operations as of 31 January 2016.

Newspaper Tages Anzeiger commented in October 2015 that two independent sources have confirmed that the reactor 1 pressure vessel contains around 1,000 cavities of half a centimetre in diameter. Similar cavities, although smaller in number, size and extension, were first discovered in the Belgian Doel 3 reactor, consequently the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) asked Beznau and Gösgen NPPs to perform adequate testing on their reactor pressure vessel. It must be said that the flaw indications in the Belgian NPPs ( Doel-3 and Tihange-2) did not cause the definitive shut down of the reactors. Indeed, both reactors resumed operations once all the needed tests were passed. Unit 1 has been shut down since the discovery of such material defects. A restart was expected in 2016 in case of positive test results, but since April 2017 no deadline for a restart was announced.

; Greenpeace protest

At dawn on 5 March 2014, Greenpeace activists broke into Beznau, urging European governments to close down the reactors on safety grounds. Some 100 protesters dressed in orange jumpsuits climbed over the boundary fence and hoisted large banners with images of cracking reactors and announcing "The End" of nuclear power at the 45-year-old Beznau nuclear plant.

40 activists were arrested by cantonal police before noon and the others in the evening. 58 activists were reported to the Public Prosecutor for trespassing. The nuclear operator Axpo submitted a criminal complaint for trespassing.

Beznau 3 plans

In view of the substitution of the plant, Resun AG submitted a framework permit application for a third reactor to the federal authorities on 4 December 2008, designated "EKKB" (''Ersatzkernkraftwerk Beznau'', Beznau replacement nuclear power plant) or Beznau 3. Although the technical specifications are to be defined later, the reactor of choice is to be a light water type Generation III reactor with an electrical power of 1450 MW. The cooling is to be ensured by a hybrid tower.

The project is on indefinite hold following decisions by the Swiss federal authorities after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011 to cease constructing new nuclear power plants.

Technical specifications

Reactors and generators

The KKB is composed of two identical pressurized water reactors units (Beznau 1 and 2) delivered by Westinghouse Electric.

Both reactors are certified for the use of MOX fuel. Since 2013, no more MOX fuel elements are used in both Beznau units.

Characterized by a thermal power of 1130 MW, each unit produces 365 MW net electricity through two Brown Boveri turbine generators. Over the years the net electric power produced has been increased twice: it was 350 MW until 30 September 1996 and 357 MW until 2 January 2000. The energy is delivered to the 220 kV grid.

The plant is cooled using the water of the Aar river and through the district heating system Refuna.

Refuna nuclear district heating

The Beznau NPP has been supplying the district heating system Refuna since 1984. This reduces the effect of the plant on the water temperature of the Aar river, and provides eleven surrounding municipalities with up to 150 GW·h of carbon-free heat per year. Beside Döttingen, the connected municipalities are Bad Zurzach, Klingnau, Unterendingen

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