Doris Leuthard and her farewell gift to the Axpo

Doris Leuthard, in her last days as Minister of energy, Axpo is a parting gift? In the Federal Council proposed on Friday, according to two independent sources of a business that would solve the current group to be a Problem, so it should approve the government.

The Problem: It's in the regulations, for the safety of nuclear power plants significantly. The NUCLEAR power plant operators must demonstrate, among other things, that their power plants emit, even at very severe earthquake, only a certain amount of radioactive materials to the environment. It is questionable, however, how much the radio-activity of the population may maximum be exposed to should shake an earthquake, as to be expected, all 10'000 years, a nuclear power plant.

The nuclear regulatory authority of the Federal government (Ensi), as well as the NUCLEAR operator to see the limit of 100 mSv; this corresponds to the international standard. The environmental associations, set it to 1 millisievert. To put this into perspective, The average annual radiation dose that a person in Switzerland receives about the natural radiation or medical devices, is a good 5 millisieverts.

Beznau would have to be defined by the network

Where is the limit, in particular for the nuclear power plant Beznau is crucial. The plant, which operates, Axpo, would in the mentioned case, 32 Milli-sievert. A limit of 1 Milli would sievert, should Beznau for retrofits from the network-with financial consequences for Axpo, possibly even forever. All the other nuclear power plants in Switzerland have sievert values below 1 Milli; only abdomen of 2 mSv, which is slightly above.

Which side is right is controversial. The case concerns in particular Beznau, the Federal administrative court after the environment have strained associations and residents of the nuclear power plant against the Ensi is a legal procedure. In their arguments to the antipodes rely equally on the applicable rules – which are not apparently clear.

This lack of Leuthard grants. Under their leadership, the Federal Council has now sent in January, a Revision of the relevant regulations in the consultation process. He wants to set the limit value "clear and unambiguous" at 100 millisieverts, and thus a "so far, unclear determination of unambiguous" rules.

transfers calls Leuthard out

Despite a massive Protest in the consultation process, critics of the Beznau speak of a "Lex" – holds Leuthard according to Betgaranti information this newspaper more on the 100-millisievert limit. There are adjustments on the regulation level, the Federal Council in-house. Leuthards Department, Detec, does not comment on the business, the agenda of the Federal Council meeting was confidential.

Whether Leuthard can convince the entire Federal Council tomorrow, but not sure yet. Alain Berset (SP) will work according to well-informed circles for a reduction to 20 to 50 millisieverts, so for Beznau delicate area. Bersets the request corresponds to the recommendation issued by the Swiss Federal Commission for radiation protection. The Commission is affiliated to the Federal office of public health, whose Supreme chief is Berset.

the cancer League suggests that the limit is lower, in particular in the range of 10 and 50 millisieverts. Just because the population would be exposed to an additional risk of Radiation, it need a "clear scientific and health risk-based" rationale for a Limit of 100 millisieverts, the organization writes in a yet unpublished position paper. The population, the cancer League is concerned, is not homogeneous. "Children tend to be compared to radiation exposure is much more sensitive than adults."

criticism from within the FDP

Leuthards is also in the Parliament a controversial one, where even in bourgeois circles, doubts as to the proposed Revision. The stand ätliche the environment has decided to Commission recently unanimously, a Committee postulate to submit the required by the Federal Council, with a test report. "Independent experts" to identify the impact of the proposed Change on the population. Are not meant by experts of the nuclear regulatory authority Ensi, as mentioned before, is part of the ongoing litigation.

FDP-councillor Damian Müller speaks of a "democracy politically very questionable" approach. The Hearings with various stakeholders involved in the environmental Commission had shown that, with respect to the protection of the population, many question marks exist, and the Revision was unclean in the pipeline. "Detec and Doris Leuthard, will have to think about what side you're on." The entire Federal Council to decide, hopefully in the sense of the population.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 06.12.2018, 20:04 PM