Swiss council votes for phase out

Wednesday, 8 June 2011 Switzerland's National Council has voted in support of the phase out of nuclear energy in the country following a decision by the Swiss cabinet not to replace its existing nuclear plants. 101 members of the 200-seat lower house of the Swiss parliament voted in favour of phasing out nuclear energy by 2034, with 54 against. The proposal must also be approved by the upper house, the 46-member Council of States. Switzerland currently relies on five nuclear plants to generate 40% of its electricity, and up until the accident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant triggered by the 11 March earthquake and tsunami had been planning to replace its reactors with new units as they reached the end of their operating lives.