Switzerland will give up nuclear power

The Swiss House of Representatives has voted in favor of a proposal to abandon nuclear power development in the country.

AP said that most MPs in the Swiss House of Representatives voted to close five nuclear reactors in the medium term, with 101 consensus votes, 54 blank votes and 30 abstentions.

Efforts to abandon nuclear power in Switzerland have been boosted since the incident of Japan's Fukushima I nuclear power plant. The referendum in Switzerland also shows that most people in this country support the door of the national nuclear plant.

A nuclear power plant in Switzerland. Photo: Swissworld.

On May 25, the Swiss Government decided to stop all plans to build a new nuclear power plant and step by step cancel 5 existing plants. Thus, with the consent of the majority of MPs, Swiss nuclear power plants will cease to operate between 2019 and 2034 after these plants reach an average life of 50 years.

Nuclear power plants currently provide about 40% of Switzerland's energy needs while hydropower plants provide most of the rest.

At the end of May, Germany was the first economic power in the world to declare it would completely stop the operation of nuclear reactors by 2022.