Financing
The cost of planning and building the central interim storage facility amounted to approximately CHF 538.2 million. This amount includes works and purchase contracts as well as service mandates and general ancillary construction costs. The total planning and construction costs were financed by provisions raised by the waste producers, i.e. the shareholders of Zwilag. The Swiss Confederation contributed to the costs of the treatment plant with CHF 30 million, in return for which Zwilag undertook to in future also treat and condition waste for which the Confederation is responsible (radioactive waste from research, health care and industrial applications).
The annual operating costs are borne by the nuclear power plant operators. These are charged to the income statements of the nuclear power plants as disposal costs and are in the final instance covered in full by the electricity price paid by consumers.
According to the statutory provisions, Zwilag is obliged to accrue the funds needed to cover the costs of decommissioning Zwilag at the end of its operational life in a government fund. The company has been making annual contributions to this fund since it started its operation.