The Swiss government Thursday announced that it is planning the country's eventual exit from nuclear power, saying it wants to support instead hydroelectric plants.
But environmental campaigners criticized the lack of a timeframe for closing the country's four nuclear power plants.
Government officials will work with representatives of the power industry, environmental groups and local governments to discuss a timetable and removal of nuclear waste, a government statement said. It is unrealistic to build more power stations because of environmental concerns, the government has said.
Should the discussions between concerned parties fail to produce an agreed timetable, the federal cabinet will make the decision, said the statement.
``We have set out on a new course,'' said Federal Energy Minister Moritz Leuenberger. ``Details have yet to be decided.''
In a related move, the federal cabinet ordered energy officials to draw up a discussion paper on changing laws governing the domestic electricity market.
The government envisages the creation of a national company to own the power infrastructure.
A timeframe for carrying out liberalization of the electricity market itself remains to be determined, the cabinet said.
The cabinet said it wants to support hydroelectric plants. It ordered a study of the possibility of tax breaks for hydroelectric plants and how to encourage upgrades of those plants.