Switzerland has five nuclear power plants: Beznau I & II, Mühleberg, Gösgen and Leibstadt. In addition to the nuclear power plants, three research reactors are in operation: at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Würenlingen, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Lausanne and the University of Basel. And finally, the national central interim storage facility for radioactive waste (ZWILAG) and the Federal Government interim storage facility at Würenlingen are also monitored by ENSI.

Background Articles

2 August 2016

A focus on upgrading

ENSI does not only grant approvals in the case of upgrading. Modifications to constructions, parts of installations, systems, equipment and documents that are classified as relevant for safety or technical security have to be approved by law – even in the case of decommissioning.

9 March 2012

New Nuclear Power Plants

In 2008, general licence applications were submitted for three new nuclear power plants in Switzerland: the Mühleberg replacement nuclear power plant, the Beznau 1 & 2 replacement nuclear power plants, and a new construction project at Niederamt in the canton of Solothurn. For the purposes of the general licences, ENSI began by examining whether the […]

9 March 2012

Radiation Measurement Technology

Development and Research Work in the Field of Radiation Measurement Technology: this project deals with the verification and calibration of dosimetry systems and radiation measurement instruments. On the one hand, importance attaches to personal dosimetry, i.e. the measurement of the outer and inner radiation exposure for people. This field also covers measurements of the release […]

9 March 2012

OECD MCCI

OECD MCCI, Melt Coolability and Concrete Interaction: the OECD MCCI (Melt Coolability and Concrete Interaction) project concerns severe accidents in which the reactor core melts due to the absence of cooling, after which the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) also fails. In the reactor building, the corium reaches the concrete foundation, which should be prevented from […]

Im August 1955 nahmen Forscher auf dem Gelände des Eidgenössischen Instituts für Reaktorforschung (EIR) in Würenlingen (AG) den „Diorit“-Reaktor in Betrieb.

9 March 2012

OECD CABRI Waterloop Project

OECD CABRI Waterloop Project: experiments on the high burn-up behaviour of fuel rods in case of rapid reactivity incidents were carried out on the CABRI research reactor in Cadarache, France. These incidents occur when the reactor briefly becomes over-critical due to the rapid, uncontrolled movement of a control element or control rod. The project is […]

9 March 2012

Non-Destructive Measurements on the Containment

Feasibility Study for Non-Destructive Measurements on the Steel Pressure Shell of the Primary Containment of Nuclear Power Plants: the primary circuit, including the reactor pressure vessel, is enclosed by a steel pressure shell as part of the defence-in-depth safety barriers. Depending on the structural design of the nuclear power plant, this is directly surrounded by […]

9 March 2012

PISA

PISA, Pressure Vessel Integrity and Safety Analysis: in connection with the long-term operation of the Swiss nuclear power plants, it must be proven that the integrity of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) continues to be guaranteed during normal operation and also in case of operating faults and postulated incidents. The PISA project was launched in […]