Settlements and compensation

Decommissioning and disposal

Successful site selection

The National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra) has found it: Nördlich Lägern, the safest and most suitable site for the deep geological repository. In 2022, it presented to the public the results of an extensive search process that had been ongoing for several years under the leadership of the federal government. At the end of 2024, it submitted the general licence application for a fuel assembly packaging facility (BEVA) at the site of the central interim storage facility (Zwilag) in Würenlingen and for the deep geological repository (DGR) with surface infrastructure in Stadel.

Independent procedure

With a view to the planned construction of the fuel element packaging facility and the deep geological repository, the companies responsible for waste disposal (EPU) have begun preparations for negotiations on financial payments and compensation (A&K) for the affected municipalities and the region where the deep geological repository is located. This approach is in line with the federal government’s “Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Repositories.” The plan stipulates that financial settlements and compensation between the municipalities in the region of the deep geological repository, the host cantons, and the waste-disposal-obligated companies are to be settled during the current, final phase of the sectoral plan (Phase 3).

The negotiation process regarding settlements and compensation is conducted independently of the procedures for obtaining Nagra's general licenses. swissnuclear represents the companies responsible for waste disposal (Axpo Power AG, BKW Energie AG, Kernkraftwerk Gösgen-Däniken AG, Kernkraftwerk Leibstadt AG) and acts as the lead negotiating organisation.

Graphic element-2-KKB-2.webp — The Beznau nuclear power plant, owned by Axpo, produces not only electricity but also district heating and is deeply rooted in the local community.

A_Swissnuclear_97_230908_KE_2479_low — The decommissioning of the Mühleberg nuclear power plant, owned by BKW, began in early 2020 and has been progressing successfully ever since.

Graphic element-2-KKG-2.webp — The Gösgen nuclear power plant in the Niederamt district of Solothurn is one of two partner plants.

Graphic element-2-KKL-2.webp — As the majority shareholder, Axpo has been managing the operations of KKL, Switzerland’s newest and most powerful nuclear power plant, since 2003.

Recognition of the contribution to a task for society as a whole

The amount and payment modalities of the compensation will be determined in the negotiations. The voluntary payments by the companies responsible for waste disposal are made in recognition of their contribution to a task for society as a whole and are intended to compensate for any effects of the future deep geological repository on the region, insofar as they are not already covered by statutory compensation.

Partnership as a goal

Cooperation between the parties involved in the negotiations should be based on the principles of comprehensibility, transparency and partnership. These principles are reflected in the already good neighborly relations that exist today between the operators of nuclear facilities and the local communities where they are situated. One example of this is the Zwilag site agreement with the municipality of Würenlingen.

Two-pillar model

The recipients of A&K are the infrastructure municipalities and other municipalities in the gTL region within a so-called impact perimeter. This represents the area with a functional connection to the planned gTL.

swissnuclear has developed a two-pillar model for the payment of A&C for the promotion of regional development and the infrastructure communities. The aim of swissnuclear is a framework agreement and fully negotiated contracts for regional promotion and for the compensation of the infrastructure communities.

Successful initial contacts and the start of the negotiation phase

Over the past few months, swissnuclear has made contact with the parties involved in the negotiation process and held initial talks. The meetings held so far have mainly been of an organisational nature and have provided an opportunity for everyone to get to know one another.

Representatives from various municipalities, the cantons of Zurich, Aargau and Schaffhausen, the state of Baden-Württemberg, the district of Waldshut-Tiengen, the Federal Office of Energy and the companies responsible for waste disposal have been involved in the discussions to date.

In line with the guidelines drawn up jointly in 2017, the companies responsible for waste disposal are striving to develop a joint, long-term sustainable solution. This makes careful preparation for the negotiation phase, which began at the end of 2025, all the more important.

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More information

Negotiation framework ("guideline") for the negotiation process of settlements / compensation

Q&A

What are settlements and compensations?

The two terms are defined as follows in the "Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Repositories":

Settlement payments are payments that a siting region receives for its contribution to solving a task for society as a whole. They are voluntary and are based on contractual agreements between the companies responsible for waste disposal and the siting region. There is no legal basis for compensation payments.
Compensation is used to compensate for demonstrably negative impacts on the region caused by the planning, construction or operation of a deep geological repository. They are negotiated with the siting region and the siting canton and are financed by the companies responsible for disposal. In this case, too, there is no legal regulation.

Is there an entitlement to settlements and compensation?

There is neither a statutory right to settlements and compensation nor a statutory obligation. They are voluntary payments made by the companies responsible for waste disposal.

How much money can the municipalities expect to receive? How are payments processed?

The level of settlements and compensation, and the payment modalities, are subject to negotiation. No details can be provided at this time. This would pre-empt the negotiation process and be at odds with a sustainable solution reached through partnership.

In connection with settlements and compensation, there is frequent mention of guidelines. What is meant by this?

The procedure for settlements negotiations was set out in 2017 in guidelines drawn up by ETH Zurich under the leadership of the SFOE and with the involvement of companies responsible for waste disposal, cantons, municipalities and German stakeholders. The guidelines cover various aspects relating to negotiations on settlements and compensation. Although the guidelines are not legally binding, they do provide a sound basis, framework and guide for upcoming negotiations.

What is the Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Repositories?

Information on the Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Repositories can be found on the website of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE): Sectoral Plan for Deep Geological Repositories.