Swiss nuclear power – once criticised as aging – is being reinvented for longevity, combining decades of operational experience with modern engineering and regulatory oversight to meet the energy challenges of the coming decades, a Swiss Nuclear Forum executive said in an article for the American Nuclear Society.

Matthias Rey, a senior manager, communications and media, at the forum, wrote that the retrofitting and rigorous maintenance of older nuclear power plants can make them safer over time – a conclusion that underpins Swiss confidence in its own approach.

“The Swiss model of long-term operation goes hand in glove with significant financial investment,” Rey wrote.

“Since commissioning, nuclear operators have poured billions of dollars into maintenance, modernisation, and retrofits – far exceeding the original construction costs at many plants.”