Federal Administrative Court ruling - Mühleberg nuclear power plant // Maintenance concept in preparation - decision made to appeal
2 Dokumente
Bern (ots)
The Federal Administrative Court (FAC) requires BKW to draw up a maintenance concept for Mühleberg nuclear power plant (KKM). BKW has already started work on such a concept. However, the FAC ruling also raises fundamental questions which must be clarified by the Federal Court. After reviewing the ruling, BKW has decided to lodge an appeal against the decision with the Federal Court, in order to obtain the legal certainty required for a decision on investments in the KKM.
In 2011 BKW began drawing up an overarching upgrade and maintenance concept with a view to the KKM's further operation. Back in late August last year, BKW submitted the first project variants to the Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI). These will be combined in a single concept in the summer of 2012 and re-submitted to ENSI. Due to the FAC ruling, this concept will now also be provisionally submitted to the Federal Department for the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) at the same time as the appeal before the Federal Court. In addition, proof of the KKM's ability to withstand a combination of a once-in-10,000-year earthquake and the resultant failure of barrage facilities over which the KKM exerts control will be in place at the end of March 2012.
- Regarding the core mantle, at the end of 2011 BKW submitted to ENSI a package of measures to additionally stabilise the core mantle, with a view to the plant's further operation. The plan is to replace the four existing tension rods and install two more. The input is currently being reviewed by ENSI. There are no plans to replace the core mantle.
- According to studies and calculations on earthquake safety conducted by BKW, the ability of Mühleberg hydroelectric plant (WKW) to withstand earthquakes complies with the latest earthquake risk assumptions (May 2011) on which the applicable guidelines for barrages are predicated. Nevertheless, in keeping with its safety-first philosophy and not least in view of the new licence procedure for the WKW, BKW will take the opportunity to further reinforce the WKW.
- With regard to the requirement in the SUSAN emergency building for a cooling system which is independent of the River Aare, back in August 2011 BKW submitted to ENSI a project variant for a heat sink diverter using compact coolers. Since then, additional project variants for the KKM have been further elaborated. Among other things, the possibility of building a subterranean line from the River Saane to the SUSAN emergency building as well as an additional upper reservoir above the KKM compound is being examined. At present, various tests are being conducted in the vicinity of the KKM. These project variants will be finalised over the next few months and integrated in the concept for the continued operation of the KKM, which is to be submitted to ENSI and DETEC in the summer of 2012.
A premature shutdown of the KKM would entail significant financial and technical implications. Some three Terawatt hours of electricity a year would need to be purchased on the market. Moreover, the values on the balance sheet on the shutdown date would need to be written down. Property, plant and equipment worth around CHF 400 million was recorded on the balance sheet at 31 December 2011. In addition, provisions for post-operation, decommissioning and disposal would need to be adjusted. Based on the current cost estimate, a premature shutdown in 2013 is likely to entail an increase of around CHF 200 million in the provision. This figure is also subject to any new cost estimate which would need to be drawn up in such a case. The resultant reduction in the contribution to operating income (EBIT) is estimated at around CHF 50 million per year, based on the current market prices for electricity and not taking into account additional write-downs of long-term investments. The additional payments to the decommissioning and disposal funds are estimated at around CHF 450 million. This figure affects liquidity but not profit.
// The statements contained in this press release constitute expectations and forward-looking statements. Because these statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the expectations and statements. This press release is issued in German, French, English and Italian. The German version is authoritative.
Contact:
Antonio Sommavilla
info@bkw-fmb.ch
031 330 51 07