Economic Impacts of a Premature Nuclear Phase-Out in Switzerland

This paper investigates the economic impacts of two policy proposals: "Strom ohne Atom" (SOA) and "Moratorium Plus" (MOP), both of which contain a premature phase-out of nuclear power in Switzerland. While MOP restricts business-as-usual operation time of existing nuclear power plants to 40 years, which results in a cutback of 10-20 years, SOA foresees a reduction in operation time of 20-30 years and administers combined heat and power to substitute for nuclear energy. Based on simulations with an intertemporal multi-sector general equilibrium model of the Swiss economy, we quantify the price tags for risk reduction from nuclear power operation given additional constraints on back-up technologies. Costs of accelerating the phase-out of nuclear power for an average household amount to 200 CHF/a over the next 45 years under SOA and drop to 60 CHF/a in the case of MOP. If Switzerland were to assure carbon neutrality of a premature phase-out by the use of carbon taxes, adjustment costs would increase to 230 CHF under SOA and 110 CHF under MOP.

Böhringer, Christoph, Marcel Wickart and André Müller (2001), Economic Impacts of a Premature Nuclear Phase-Out in Switzerland, ZEW Discussion Paper No. 01-68, Mannheim.