London, 27 March (Argus) — Swiss utility BKW will be allowed to keep the 375MW Muhleberg (KKM) nuclear plant on line until at least the end of 2017, after winning an appeal against a federal administrative court ruling that would have shut the facility in June this year.
Today's ruling the federal supreme court grants BKW an unlimited operating licence for the plant. The utility's long-term plan for the facility assumes that it can operate until 2022-23. The ruling means that the reactor can stay on line even longer, the utility said. “But this is still completely open,” it said.
But BKW must first meet strict conditions set out by nuclear watchdog Ensi to keep the plant on line beyond 2017. Ensi submitted a list of demands to BKW in December, obliging the utility to invest in safety upgrades. “Following the decision of the federal court, BKW can now focus on developing the required implementation plan [for the safety upgrades] and to conduct a review for the principle and investment decision on the continued operation of KKM,” BKW said.
The utility must demonstrate by 30 June how it aims to implement some of the demands and must be in a position to show how it will meet all of the demands by the end of this year. BKW plans to reach a decision at the end of this year on whether it wants to invest to continue operating Muhleberg beyond 2017.
Send comments to feedback@argusmedia.com
sk/wj 3.1
If you would like to review other ArgusMedia.com content options, request more information about Argus' energy news, data and analysis services.
Copyright © 2013 Argus Media Ltd - www.ArgusMedia.com - All rights reserved.
