Swiss nuclear plant to shut down by 2022

The Muehleberg plant will continue to provide electricity for 10 years (Reuters)

The Swiss operator of one of Europe's oldest commercial nuclear reactors has announced plans to shut the plant by 2022.

BKW Energie AG said today that the Muehleberg plant will continue to provide electricity for 10 years despite a Swiss court ruling earlier this month that the reactor's licence should expire at the end of June 2013.

The company has said it will challenge the ruling at Switzerland's supreme court.

Muehleberg began operation in 1972.

Earlier this year, it was temporarily shut down after routine maintenance caused a feedwater cooling system to stop working. No radioactivity was released.

Switzerland gets about 40% of its power from five nuclear reactors. The country plans to phase out nuclear power by 2034.