ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Mar 2026
Jan 2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
April 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Swiss nuclear power and the case for long-term operation
Designed for 40 years but built to last far longer, Switzerland’s nuclear power plants have all entered long-term operation. Yet age alone says little about safety or performance. Through continuous upgrades, strict regulatory oversight, and extensive aging management, the country’s reactors are being prepared for decades of continued operation, in line with international practice.
Jean-Claude Alder
Nuclear Technology | Volume 86 | Number 2 | August 1989 | Pages 197-206
Technical Paper | Decontamination and Decommissioning / Radioactive Waste Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT89-A34271
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In Switzerland, studies have demonstrated the feasibility of the safe disposal of all types of nuclear waste. Decommissioning wastes from the five existing Swiss nuclear plants can be classified into different types for disposal purposes, based on these studies. These wastes are assumed to be packaged in large (20-m3) containers. Requirements for the waste packages are determined and are severe for the highly radiating and heat-producing waste. Results from safety analyses of a proposed underground repository for low- and intermediate-level waste are applied to these decommissioning waste types. Expected doses from disposal of the waste in the underground repository, as well as in a near-surface repository, provide a basis for a classification of the waste for the two types of repositories. Wastes can then be allocated to appropriate disposal facilities that can provide the required degree of safety.