National Council backs acceleration decree in principle
Published: Thursday, Dec 21st 2023, 10:00
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Large solar power plants, wind farms and hydropower plants should be able to be planned and approved more quickly. The National Council approved a corresponding bill on Thursday with a clear majority. Only the SVP expressed fundamental reservations.
By 175 votes to 19 with one abstention, the large chamber decided to approve the so-called acceleration decree. By 129 votes to 65 with one abstention, it also refused to refer the bill back to the Federal Council.
All parliamentary groups except the SVP were of the opinion that the current approval procedures should be streamlined and the possibilities for lodging objections restricted, at least for installations of national interest. Today, it can take up to twenty years for a plant to be approved - far too long, according to the tenor.
The SVP wanted to demand that the Federal Council revise the bill and focus on other energy generation technologies, but failed. There will also be motions to soften the ban on the construction of nuclear power plants in the detailed consultation.
Another controversial issue is the extent to which the rights of local authorities to object to planned plants and those of environmental and nature conservation associations should be curtailed. The upper chamber will now decide on this.
©Keystone/SDA
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