Swiss Utilities Purchase CASTOR®-Casks

The Swiss electric power utilities AXPO AG, BKW FMB Energie AG and Kernkraftwerk Leibstadt AG have signed a contract for the delivery of up to seven casks of the type CASTOR^®HAW28M with the German company GNS Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service mbH.

The CASTOR^®HAW28M, which weighs more than 100 tonnes, is a transport and storage cask for high-level radioactive residues from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. The purchasers will use these casks for the return of residues from the French and British reprocessing of Swiss nuclear fuel. After the loading in the respective reprocessing plant, the casks will be transported to Switzerland, where they will be stored in the ZWILAG interim storage facility near Würenlingen. The casks are planned to be delivered by GNS during the time period from 2013 to 2016.

The casks accommodate 28 containers of vitrified residues which altogether can have a thermal power of up to 56 kW. Casks of the type CASTOR^®HAW28M are also being used by the German electric power utilities for the same purpose.

This press release contains forward-looking statements made as of the date of its publication. These statements may not be consistent with subsequent events not covered in this press release.

For further information:

Michael Köbl
Head of Communications and Marketing

+49 201 109 1444