Doha: Switzerland announced today that a unit at a nuclear power plant has been shut down due to a power grid failure. In a statement, the Swiss electricity holding company Axpo said that the shutdown, which caused non-radioactive water vapor to escape through the roof of the turbine house, was carried out quickly at Unit 2 of the Beznau plant in northern Switzerland.

According to Qatar News Agency, the cause of the connection failure is currently being investigated. Unit 1 continues to operate normally. The company confirmed that the plant remained safe at all times, noting that the emergency shutdown was carried out automatically in accordance with the approved specifications.

It added that the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (ENSI) has been informed of the incident, and that an investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the grid failure. The plant, one of four operating nuclear power plants in Switzerland, opened in 1972 and is scheduled to remain in operation until 2033.

Switzerland decided to phase out nuclear power following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan. In 2017, Swiss voters approved a government plan banning the construction of new nuclear power plants.