Swiss National Council Approves Nuclear Plant Construction Counterproposal 100-98

The National Council rejected a referral motion by the same margin after the Council of States had already endorsed the measure. The text permits new reactor construction while retaining the requirement for popular approval of any specific project. Switzerland currently operates four reactors supplying roughly 30 percent of electricity generation.

Swiss grid operators project a 15-20 TWh annual shortfall by 2035 under current renewable build-out rates and rising demand from data centers and electrification. Existing plants face license expirations between 2030 and 2040. The policy shift aligns with parallel decisions in Sweden, France, and the Netherlands to extend or add firm low-carbon capacity rather than rely solely on intermittent sources.

The measure now proceeds to a mandatory referendum. If approved, licensing authority returns to the Federal Council under the Nuclear Energy Act. Operators must still demonstrate long-term waste solutions and pass environmental impact assessments before any new unit can break ground.

Operationally, utilities can now submit site studies and begin pre-licensing dialogue with ENSI, shortening the typical 10-15 year timeline from policy signal to first concrete pour.