Swiss federal authorities

Security

The security of nuclear facilities and nuclear material is meant to prevent the compromise of nuclear safety through unauthorised actions, the intentional release of radioactive materials into the environment and the theft of nuclear materials. To this end, all Swiss nuclear power plants have a special security dispositive. As with safety, the principle of security is based on profound protection through structural, technical, organisatorial, personal and administrative measures.

Top Article

  • News, Posts

    Review Conference on the Security of Nuclear Material

    The first review conference of the Amended Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material took place from 28 March to 1 April 2022. Switzerland lobbied for a repeated review of the implementation of the Amended Convention, to be carried out in five years time as part of an IAEA conference.

News

  • IPPAS Mission Vienna
    News, Posts

    Conference on Nuclear Security: Shaping the future

    ENSI is part in a five-day International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conference: The fourth “International Conference on Nuclear Security” (ICONS) will take place in Vienna from 20 to 24 May 2024, with Switzerland committed to a strong system of international security.

  • News, Posts

    Conclusion of the IPPAS Mission 2023: Switzerland has a strong nuclear security regime

    The conclusion of the experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) upon completion of the two-week review mission is that Switzerland has a robust nuclear security system. During the mission of the International Physical Protection Advisory Service IPPAS, from 30 October to 10 November 2023, the international team carried out a detailed examination of…

  • News, Posts

    Review Conference on the Security of Nuclear Material

    The first review conference of the Amended Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material took place from 28 March to 1 April 2022. Switzerland lobbied for a repeated review of the implementation of the Amended Convention, to be carried out in five years time as part of an IAEA conference.

  • IAEA Building in Vienna
    News, Posts

    Switzerland commits to international cooperation in nuclear security

    At the 62nd General Conference of the IAEA in Vienna, Switzerland last week committed itself to the strengthening of nuclear safety and security at the global level. ENSI also participated in bilateral discussions with international partners on the imortant topics of safety culture, emergency preparedness and the international security of nuclear installations and materials.

  • News, Posts

    New studies on protection of Swiss nuclear power plants against a deliberate plane crash now completed

    Swiss nuclear power plants have an adequate level of protection against a deliberate plane crash. This is confirmed by an update of the associated analyses ordered by the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) in 2013. For security reasons, the details are confidential.

  • News, Posts

    International experts provide Switzerland with recommendations for further improving security

    The nuclear security regime is well established in Switzerland. That was the finding of an IPPAS team of experts of the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) at the conclusion of their two-week mission. The team identified 13 good practices, 9 recommendations and 37 suggestions.

Background articles

  • Background articles, Posts

    Series of articles on barriers 6/6: The containment holds radioactive substances in the reactor building

    The reactor pressure vessel is enclosed by the containment as the third barrier. This consists of a steel primary containment and a concrete secondary containment.

  • Background articles, Posts

    Series of articles on barriers 5/6: The water circuit (primary circuit part 2 of 2)

    With its pipelines, shut-off valves and other components, the cooling circuit, together with the reactor pressure vessel, is the second barrier for trapping radioactive substances.

  • Background articles, Posts

    Series of articles on barriers 4/6: The reactor pressure vessel (primary circuit part 1 of 2)

    The reactor pressure vessel, together with the water’s cooling circuit, is the second barrier for trapping radioactive substances.

Documents