Beznau Nuclear Power Plant
| Beznau Nuclear Power Plant | |
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Beznau Nuclear Power Plant
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 Location of Beznau Nuclear Power Plant in Switzerland
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| Official name | Kernkraftwerk Beznau |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Location | Döttingen AG, Zurzach |
| Coordinates | 47°33′08″N 8°13′43″E / 47.552107°N 8.228492°ECoordinates: 47°33′08″N 8°13′43″E / 47.552107°N 8.228492°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1965 |
| Commission date | 1 September 1969 |
| Owner(s) | Axpo Holding |
| Nuclear power station | |
| Reactor type | PWR |
| Reactor supplier | Westinghouse Electric |
| Cogeneration? | Yes (150 GW·ht/y) |
| Cooling source | Aare |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 2 × 365 MW |
| Nameplate capacity | 730 MW |
| Capacity factor | 91.8 % |
| Annual output | 5,826 GW·h |
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Website www |
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The Beznau nuclear power plant (German: Kernkraftwerk Beznau, abbreviated KKB) is a nuclear power plant of the Swiss energy utility Axpo, located in the municipality Döttingen, Canton of Aargau, Switzerland, on an artificial island in the Aar river. Producing energy since September 1969, it can claim to be the world's oldest nuclear power plant in commercial operation.
Beznau 1 is the first commercial nuclear power reactor in Switzerland.
Putting an end to the traditional predilection of the Swiss power utilities for hydroelectric power, in the beginning of the 1960s the then Nordostschweizerische Kraftwerke AG (NOK, now part of Axpo Holding) started to take into account the construction of a nuclear power plant. On 23 December 1964 the Swiss Federal Office of Energy recognized the artificial island in Beznau as potential location for a reactor. The corresponding construction permit was issued on 2 November 1965 and, after only four years, on 12 May 1969 commissioning was authorized. On 1 September 1969 Beznau 1 started commercial operation.
In the meantime the procedure for the construction of the identical reactor Beznau 2 had begun. The location and a first construction permit were approved on 17 November 1967, followed on 21 September 1970 by the final one. The commissioning started on 16 July 1971 and the reactor finally entered the commercial operation phase on 1 December 1971.
Beznau 1 obtained an unlimited operating license already on 30 October 1970. On the contrary Beznau 2 received temporary licenses until 3 December 2004, when the Swiss Federal Council removed the limitation.
The power plant was built in the 1960s, when little opposition to nuclear projects was present. Over the years Beznau has been the scene of some anti-nuclear protests, but such opposition never widespread among the majority of the local population. The cantonal citizens systematically rejected all votes on early shutdown of existing plants and on building suspension of new ones. Finally, in 2007 the cantonal parliament entrusted the government to act in order to promote the building of a new reactor.
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