After the accident in Japan, our initial analyses showed that Fukushima did not fundamentally call into question the safety of Swiss nuclear power plants, that safety was guaranteed and that continued operation was responsible. We set to work to analyse the accident in greater depth. With our web series, we want to make a contribution to informing everyone who is interested in the facts of the disaster. In a concise form and in comprehensible language, we will not only shed light on the accident, but also show how we analysed it and used the knowledge gained to improve the safety of Swiss nuclear power plants.

Posts

11 March 2021

Ten Years on from Fukushima (6/6): Conclusions

The events in Japan are a reminder that we must never let down our guard. It is essential to ensure the safety of Swiss nuclear power plants right up until their final days of operation. Moreover, the accident in Japan shone a light on another important aspect: emergency preparedness.

11 March 2021

Ten years on from Fukushima, the ENSI Board still holds that safety has priority over political or economic interests

Against the background of the lessons learnt from the major nuclear accident in Fukushima, the ENSI Board will continue to carry out its duties both vigilantly and independently, while ensuring the clear separation of ENSI’s regulatory safety function on the one hand from economic and political interests on the other.

4 March 2021

‘Switzerland is regarded as very reliable in nuclear matters’ – a commentary by former Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard

At the time of the fateful accident in Fukushima, Doris Leuthard was head of the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC). To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the nuclear disaster, the former Federal Councillor explains why it was essential to provide political support for nuclear safety after the accident.

4 March 2021

Ten Years on from Fukushima (5/6): Switzerland’s International Position

After the accident at Fukushima, there was an increasing demand for international safety standards and their international monitoring. Switzerland, and in particular ENSI, was committed to mandatory backfitting on a global basis. Even if such safety principles are still not legally binding, the reactor accident acted as a booster for a new safety awareness amongst the international community.

25 February 2021

Ten Years on from Fukushima (4/6): The Consequences for Swiss Nuclear Power Plants and the Oversight Activities

After the events in Fukushima Daiichi, ENSI ordered immediate actions and additional safety tests for the Swiss nuclear power plants. Moreover, from the accident analysis and the EU stress test, ENSI derived a need for action to improve nuclear safety in Switzerland: the “Fukushima Action Plan”.

19 February 2021

Ten Years on from Fukushima (3/6): the EU Stress Test

The tests at the time confirmed that, in international comparison, Swiss nuclear power plants have a high safety level. Despite these learnings, it is important to remain attentive at all times, to keep the proofs of safety up to date, to live a strong safety culture and to systematically analyse events.

19 February 2021

What Oskar Grözinger learned from his international reviews

Oskar Grözinger has spent most of his working life in nuclear regulation. During the EU stress test, the physicist was deputy chairman of the “Topic 1 – External Influences” division. As team leader of the review experts, he has participated in inspections in the Netherlands, Slovakia and Spain and supervised peer reviews in Taiwan, Armenia […]

19 February 2021

How Nils Cordua companioned the EU stress test at ENSI

Jukka Laaksonen was Chairman of the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA) and Director General of the finnish nuclear safety authority Säteilyturvakeskuksen (STUK) when the events in Fukushima took place.

19 February 2021

How Jukka Laaksonen initiated the EU stress tests

11 February 2021

Ten Years on from Fukushima (2/6): The radiological effects of the accident

After the nuclear accident in Fukushima Daiichi, extrapolations revealed that about one-eighth of the amount of radioactivity that escaped at Chernobyl was released into the surrounding area.

4 February 2021

Ten Years on from Fukushima (1/6): The lead-up to the 2011 Disaster

Ten years ago, a very strong earthquake and the subsequent tsunami destroyed the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Safety systems failed and in several reactor units, the result was a core meltdown and the release of considerable quantities of radioactive substances.