Supply contract until 2030 Axpo wants to continue sourcing uranium from Russia
Almost half of Switzerland's nuclear power is generated from Russian uranium. The Beznau nuclear power plant is tied to its Russian supplier until 2030. Axpo and an SVP energy politician think it should stay that way.
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- Around 45 percent of Swiss nuclear power and 15 percent of all Swiss electricity is generated from Russian uranium. This is according to a report by the nuclear-critical Swiss Energy Foundation.
- Green politicians, including National Councillor Sibel Arslan, are calling for measures to be taken against uranium imports, as they see them as indirect support for the Russian war against Ukraine.
- However, the SVP and energy experts are warning against sanctions against Rosatom, as these could drive up electricity prices and cause neutrality policy problems, while alternative sources of uranium would be difficult to secure.
Switzerland is participating in sanctions against Russia and is trying to import as little as possible from Putin's empire. Russia's most important export is raw materials, including uranium in addition to oil and gas.
A study by the nuclear-critical Energy Foundation shows that 45 percent of Swiss electricity from nuclear power plants is generated from Russian uranium. The Beznau nuclear power plant obtains all of its uranium from Russia, and half of that in Leibstadt.
This dependence on Russian raw materials is a thorn in the side of Green National Councillor Sibel Arslan (BS). She criticizes the fact that companies that import uranium into Switzerland are indirectly supporting the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
At a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Arslan confronted Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin with this issue. The Greens have submitted political initiatives both at federal level and in the canton of Aargau - where the Beznau nuclear power plant is located and Axpo has its headquarters - to draw attention to the issue.
Russian nuclear weapons and fuel rods from a single source
The Energy Foundation sheds light on the role that the state-owned corporation Rosatom plays in Swiss nuclear power and in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
According to the Energy Foundation, Rosatom is responsible for the entire Russian arsenal of nuclear weapons, among other things, and supplies technology for the military use of nuclear power. Referring to the report, SRF writes that Rosatom produces nuclear warheads for Russian intercontinental missiles.
Based on various sources, the Energy Foundation has calculated that 15 percent of Swiss electricity is generated from Russian uranium. It is unclear whether "Swiss electricity" refers to the electrical energy that is generated or consumed in Switzerland.
The Energy Foundation also argues that Rosatom operates the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant occupied by Russia, which means that the company is participating in a breach of international law.
Beznau tied to Rosatom until 2030
Despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Axpo continues to purchase uranium from Russia. The supply contract for the Leibstadt nuclear power plant expires in 2025 and no more fuel rods will be delivered.
However, the Beznau nuclear power plant, also operated by Axpo, is still tied to Rosatom until 2030. Termination of the contract would result in high penalties. An expert interviewed by SRF explained that this would mean Russia would receive even more money than if Axpo were to purchase the uranium from the state-owned company to the agreed extent.
However, the Swiss Energy Foundation sees no reason to wait until the end of the contract and is calling for political measures, such as sanctions in the nuclear sector, to make it easier for Axpo to withdraw from the Russian supply chains. Nils Epprecht, Managing Director of the foundation, emphasizes that such measures could help Axpo to become independent more quickly.
Arguments against sanctions
Energy politician and SVP National Councillor Christian Imark is skeptical about the idea of sanctioning Rosatom in order to allow Axpo to exit the contract without penalty. He warns that it is unclear whether Axpo would still have to pay a penalty. The costs would ultimately be covered by the population and the economy because they would be passed on to electricity prices.
The SVP energy politician also considers it unwise from a neutrality policy perspective to be the only country to sanction Russian uranium. To date, no country has imposed sanctions against Rosatom's civilian core business, as the dependencies are too great. France, for example, also purchases a considerable amount of uranium from Russia.
This article was created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). All content created by AI is verified by the editorial team.