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Axpo Holding AG, Alpiq Holding Ltd. and BKW FMB Energy Ltd / Agreement reached on the planning and construction of replacement nuclear power stations

Axpo Holding AG, Alpiq Holding Ltd. and BKW FMB Energy Ltd /
Agreement reached on the planning and construction of replacement nuclear power stations
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Bern (ots)

- Indication: Picture can be downloaded free of charge under:
     http://www.presseportal.ch/de/pm/100001009/?langid=2 -
Axpo, Alpiq and BKW have agreed to join forces in further pursuing
the planning and construction of two new nuclear power stations to 
replace nuclear power generating facilities in Switzerland which are 
nearing the end of their useful lives and compensate for long-term 
import agreements with France which are due to expire. This 
represents a milestone in the bid to ensure security of supply in 
Switzerland. Axpo, Alpiq and BKW will combine their current projects 
under a joint planning company. For the time being, all three 
projects will be further developed in parallel and accorded equal 
value. Decisions on sites or the order of priority will be made at a 
later stage.
Following intensive negotiations, Axpo (via its subsidiaries Axpo 
AG and Centralschweizerische Kraftwerke AG), Alpiq and BKW have 
agreed to proceed jointly in order to build two new nuclear power 
stations to replace nuclear power generating capacities which are 
reaching the end of their operating lives and compensate for French 
import agreements which are due to expire. This agreement is regarded
by all parties as a milestone on the path towards secure, reliable 
power supplies in Switzerland.
Axpo, Alpiq and BKW each have a one-third stake in a joint 
planning and project company. The aim of this partnership is to draw 
up plans for three comparable projects until the definitive order of 
priority is determined. This will speed up the political process and 
official procedures, enable synergies to be exploited in the 
evaluation process, and save on costs. It will also create the 
foundations for a possible joint operating company in the future.
The definitive decision on the order of priority for 
implementation will be made before the "Draft message and decision" 
under the terms of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy's "General 
licensing procedure for new nuclear power plants", i.e. as things 
stand at present, in mid-2012.  The decision will be based on the 
final selection of sites as well as political and economic aspects 
and reviews, in particular the results of the ongoing official review
of the three general licence applications. If this comprehensive 
assessment produces no relevant decision bases, the sites will be 
taken into consideration in the order in which the existing 
facilities are to be decommissioned.
The shareholdings of the three companies are as follows: Axpo 59% 
(Axpo AG 48.6%, CKW AG 10.4%), Alpiq 25.5%, BKW 15.5%. This ratio is 
commensurate with the three partners' existing shares of 
Switzerland's nuclear power production facilities and does not 
reflect their share of the Swiss power supply market (Axpo 35%, Alpiq
24%, BKW 14%). For the first plant the shareholder ratio is slightly 
adjusted to account for various factors such as the operating terms 
of existing plants (Alpiq -3%, BKW +3%).
Axpo CEO Heinz Karrer emphasises "The agreement represents an 
important breakthrough. It will allow us to continue guaranteeing a 
virtually CO2-free mix of electricity from hydro power, nuclear 
energy and new renewable energies well into the future."
Alpiq CEO Giovanni Leonardi commented: "The agreement is a joint 
commitment by all three partners to energy security in our country."
BKW CEO Kurt Rohrbach added: "Since the launch of negotiations 
Axpo, Alpiq and BKW have endeavoured to find a consensual solution. 
We are delighted that this has now been achieved."
Investments in energy security
Alongside energy efficiency, the promotion of renewable energies 
and cooperation with Europe, the Federal Council's energy policy 
focuses in particular on the construction of replacement or new 
large-scale power stations. With this in mind and with a view to 
guaranteeing energy security in Switzerland, general licence 
applications for nuclear power stations in Niederamt (canton 
Solothurn), Mühleberg (canton Bern) and Beznau (canton Aargau) were 
submitted to the Federal Office of Energy (FOE) respectively by Alpiq
in June 2008 and by Axpo subsidiaries Axpo AG and 
Centralschweizerische Kraftwerke AG jointly with BKW FMB Energy Ltd 
in December 2008. On 30 October 2009 the general licence application 
documents for the three projects, revised in line with the review by 
the Federal Nuclear Inspectorate (ENSI) in April 2009, were handed 
over to the FOE. In November 2010 the ENSI published an evaluation 
report confirming the three sites. According to the FOE, the Federal 
Council will decide on the three general licence applications in 
mid-2012: roughly five months later than originally planned.
About Axpo
The Axpo Group includes Axpo AG, Centralschweizerische Kraftwerke 
AG (CKW) and EGL Ltd. and is a leading Swiss energy company; it is 
rooted locally but also has an international profile. Electricity 
production, trading, sales, and services are all grouped together 
under the joint holding company. Together with its partners, Axpo 
delivers electricity to around three million people in Switzerland. 
Axpo Holding AG is wholly owned by the cantons of Northeastern 
Switzerland. Further information: www.axpo.ch
Alpiq: Roots in Switzerland - active throughout Europe
Alpiq Holding Ltd. is the leading energy trader and largest 
service provider in Switzerland, with a pan-European reach. The Alpiq
Group was created in early 2009 as a result of the merger between the
two energy pioneers Atel Holding Ltd. and Energie Ouest Suisse SA 
(EOS). Active in 31 nations, it has subsidiaries in 27 countries, 
employs more than 10,000 staff, and in 2009 generated consolidated 
annual revenue of around CHF 15 billion. Alpiq specialises in 
electricity generation and transmission, sales and trading, as well 
as energy services, and together with its partners is responsible for
around one-third of Switzerland's electricity supplies.
More information on Alpiq: www.alpiq.com
BKW - vertically integrated and active in selected European 
markets
With sales of CHF 3,592 million in 2009, BKW FMB Energy Ltd is one
of Switzerland's leading energy providers. With its workforce of 
around 2,800, it covers all stages of the energy supply chain: from 
electricity production and transport to trading and sales. BKW 
supplies power to more than one million people in German- and 
French-speaking Switzerland, either directly or indirectly via its 
distribution partners, and is active on selected foreign markets 
through its trading and sales business. The BKW production portfolio 
covers hydroelectric power plants, a nuclear power plant, and 
renewable energy plants (wind and solar power).  Over the next few 
years BKW is aiming to build up a 750-MW win power portfolio in 
Germany and Italy. Thanks to its commitment to renewable energies and
its green power products distributed under the 1to1 energy brand, BKW
is currently Switzerland's largest provider of green power. BKW also 
maintains an extensive, closely-knit electricity grid in Switzerland 
with around 20,000 kilometers of lines. Combined with a large number 
of switching and transformer stations, it covers the supply region 
right down to the most remote localities.
Further information: www.bkw-fmb.ch

Contact:

Axpo Holding AG | Corporate Communications
Media Hotline | 0800 44 11 00
Anahid Rickmann | 044 278 41 68

Alpiq Holding Ltd., Corporate Communications
041 62 286 71 10
Martin Bahnmüller

BKW FMB Energy Ltd, Media Communications
031 330 51 07
Antonio Sommavilla

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