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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Switzerland cannot currently grant a general licence for a new nuclear power plant: the statutory ban has applied since 1 January 2018. Parliament voted in June 2026 to repeal that ban, but the vote alone did not change the rule or approve a specific project. If the amendment takes effect, a new plant would still need to pass three major licensing stages: a general licence, a construction licence and an operating licence.
Can Switzerland build a new nuclear power plant now?
Not under the current operative rule. The Swiss Federal Office of Energy says that granting new general licences for nuclear power plants has been prohibited since 1 January 2018. A general licence is the first major authorization in the ordinary approval route for a new plant.
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On 19 June 2026, both chambers of Parliament adopted an indirect counterproposal to the “Stop the blackout” initiative at final vote. It would repeal the statutory provisions establishing the ban. Parliament’s account says opponents announced a referendum, and the public will have the last word. The available official record does not establish that the amendment has entered into force. Accordingly, Parliament’s vote should be understood as a step toward changing the law—not as a current project authorization.
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Even if the repeal takes effect, it would remove a general legal barrier rather than approve a site, reactor design, construction plan or financing. A developer would still need to apply for and obtain the relevant project licences.
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What licences would a new plant need?
Switzerland’s ordinary route has three main licences. Each addresses a different stage, and permission to proceed at one stage is not permission to begin operation.
| Licence | What it establishes | Who assesses or decides |
|---|---|---|
| General licence | The site, purpose and essential features of the planned installation, plus the maximum permissible public radiation dose. | The Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) reviews the application and issues a Safety Evaluation Report. The Federal Nuclear Safety Commission may also assess the report. The Federal Council decides, subject to ratification by Parliament. |
| Construction licence | The licence holder, location, capacity or thermal output, main technical features and outline of emergency protection. | ENSI assesses nuclear safety; other authorities assess their areas. The Swiss Federal Office of Energy drafts the licence, and the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) issues it. |
| Operating licence | Authorization to operate, including capacity, release limits, environmental monitoring, and safety, security and emergency measures. | ENSI assesses the safety case. The process is essentially similar to the construction-licence process. |
The licensing framework is described in Switzerland’s Tenth National Report to the Convention on Nuclear Safety.
1. General licence: site and project basis
The application must provide information about the site and project, radiation exposure, the organization and personnel, environmental impacts, compliance with spatial planning, and a decommissioning concept. Federal and cantonal reviews and the application are published for a three-month consultation period, during which anyone may raise objections. After ENSI’s review, the Federal Council decides whether to grant the licence; Parliament must ratify that decision.
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Once ratified, a general-licence decision may be subject to an optional nationwide referendum. This is a democratic decision point distinct from Parliament’s June 2026 vote on whether to remove the general ban.
2. Construction licence: detailed design and build
A construction-licence application includes a Safety Analysis Report, environmental and spatial-planning reports, quality-management information, emergency preparedness and a decommissioning plan. ENSI evaluates nuclear safety, while other authorities address matters within their responsibilities. The canton and public are involved, and eligible parties may object to the published application and assessment reports.
3. Operating licence: permission to run the plant
A plant cannot operate without an operating licence. The licence sets authorized capacity, release limits, environmental monitoring requirements, and safety, security and emergency measures. ENSI evaluates the safety case through a process broadly similar to the construction-licence review. Licensing decisions other than general-licence decisions can be challenged in court, according to ENSI.
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How authorities divide the work
The process uses a “concentrated decision procedure”: the authority with primary responsibility leads the case and considers the opinions of other authorities, rather than requiring separate final decisions from every office. ENSI is the independent nuclear safety regulator. Environmental-protection and spatial-planning authorities review their respective subjects; cantonal authorities also participate where the process calls for it.
The legal standard for nuclear safety is preventive. Article 5(1) of the Nuclear Energy Act, as reproduced in Switzerland’s Tenth National Report to the Convention on Nuclear Safety, says that “preventive and protective measures must be taken in accordance with internationally accepted principles” in the design, construction and operation of nuclear installations.
Why new-plant licences were prohibited
After the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident in March 2011, DETEC suspended three applications for new general licences. Operators withdrew them at the end of 2016. Voters accepted the revised Federal Energy Act in May 2017, and the ban on granting new general licences took effect on 1 January 2018. The Swiss Parliament’s account of the Energy Strategy 2050 vote reports that 58% of voters supported it.
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The ban on new general licences is distinct from the status of existing plants. The Federal Office of Energy says existing nuclear power plants have no legally fixed service-life deadline in its summary and may continue operating while ENSI determines they are safe.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does the low-hazard research-installation exception allow a new power station?
No. A nuclear installation classified as having low hazard potential is excepted from the general-licence requirement, but it still needs construction and operating licences, as well as ENSI technical approvals. Safety and security obligations remain.
ENSI’s BALDER project page describes PSI’s plan, in collaboration with Copenhagen Atomics, to test a molten-salt reactor for a limited period at a reduced power of one megawatt thermal. ENSI said PSI intended to submit application documents in the second half of 2026 at the earliest. This is a proposed research test, not an approved commercial power station or evidence that a commercial plant can bypass the ordinary licensing route.
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What to watch after Parliament’s 2026 vote
The next decisive questions are whether a referendum is held and what the final result and commencement date are. Until an official source confirms that the amendment has taken effect, the ban on new general licences remains the operative rule. If the ban is lifted, the change would let a project seek the first licence; it would not replace the site-specific safety, environmental, planning, consultation and licensing reviews that follow.
For the current legal status, see the Swiss Federal Office of Energy’s nuclear power plants information and the Swiss Parliament’s record of the counterproposal.
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