Rosti's problem of the billion

Federal Energy Agency officials are preparing to release a confidential cost analysis for new nuclear power plants, a move that has intensified internal friction within the department led by Federal Councillor Albert Rösti. The agency commissioned the consulting firm Deloitte to recalculate construction expenses after initial figures were rejected by Rösti’s staff. A final report is currently under strict secrecy and is expected to reach Rösti and his secretary-general, Yves Bichsel, within days. Rösti intends to publish the findings at the end of the year. The controversy centers on the true financial scale of building modern reactors. Insiders indicate that the agency initially sought to avoid a comprehensive cost discussion by limiting data breakdowns to expenditures before 2019. This approach would have excluded the massive cost overruns associated with the Flamanville reactor in France, which ultimately exceeded 21 billion Swiss francs. In 2024, the Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications still estimated costs at 13 billion euros. Similar trends occurred in Finland, where the Olkiluoto 3 project, planned since 2003, ballooned from an initial budget of three billion euros to 11 billion euros. A former federal energy employee, speaking anonymously, predicted that any estimate below 20 billion Swiss francs for a new plant would be unrealistic. He noted that prices quoted by China are not applicable to European conditions. Current projects in Great Britain illustrate this volatility, with one of two reactors being built projected to cost between 26.9 and 32.6 billion Swiss francs, with no fixed price established yet. Tensions have grown between Rösti and Bichsel, who has expanded his influence significantly, particularly during Rösti’s absence following back surgery. Several participants reported that Bichsel adopted a blunt tone toward parliamentary committee members while representing the minister. During a public appearance, Bichsel stated that the Swiss People's Party opposes wind energy because other parties oppose nuclear power. The ministry later clarified that the government supports all technologies, including wind, a stance Bichsel shares. Before Rösti took office, his predecessor Simonetta Sommaruga was perceived by some agency staff as less engaged with technical details, often delegating authority to her secretary-general. Rösti, a trained engineer, immersed himself in case files and asked detailed questions. Even left-wing critics acknowledged his effective campaign for the climate and innovation law in 2023. However, the early goodwill has faded due to Bichsel’s growing dominance. In a related anecdote, Rösti expressed interest in visiting small modular reactor sites. His experts advised against travel to Russia or China, where such technology is in its infancy, noting that Canada had not yet completed construction. Rösti and Bichsel subsequently agreed that such visits would be politically inadvisable. The ministry confirmed there were no plans for trips to those countries. Separately, Rösti addressed a different policy issue in Bern regarding a popular initiative to ban noisy fireworks. The measure, scheduled for a vote on November 29, aims to protect humans, animals, and the environment by restricting pyrotechnics to major supra-regional events. Rösti argued that while health and safety concerns are serious, a constitutional ban is unnecessary. The federal council recommends rejecting the text.