[en] A project called FEMBE for district heating of the western part of the city of Bern is presented. Heat sources are the Muehleberg nuclear power plant, biogas from the waste plant Teuftal and boilers for peak heat. The projected heat extraction from the nuclear power plant amounts to 60 MW

[en] Between October 1986 and April 1987 two contracts were concluded between the nuclear power plant Muehleberg and the German firm Transnuklear GmbH for the processing of low-level and intermediate-level radioactive wastes from Muehleberg in the incineration facility at Mol in Belgium. In the contracts, transport of the wastes to Mol and back was included. According to the contracts the maximum admissible surface dose rate of the containers enclosing the wastes was 3000 mR/h. The actual maximum value of the surface dose rate was 1800 mR/h. On January 8, 1988, Swiss press published a statement to the effect that those wastes having a surface dose rate of more than 200 mR/h cannot be processed at Mol and must be transported back to Switzerland. Three representatives of Muehleberg visited Mol to discuss the conflicting information. The result of their inquiries was that the processing and transport of foreign wastes at Mol are currently suspended due to the irregularities associated with Transnuklear. Neither the safety nor the operation of the Muehleberg facility are jeopardized through the incident

[en] The implementation of the emergency response information system (ERIS) in the control room of the Muehleberg nuclear power plant is described. This system allows a condensed display of important process parameters. In case of an accident it facilitates an assessment of the situation together with countermeasures

[en] Talks given at the BKW media conference which took place on November 13, 1990, at the Muehleberg nuclear power station. They dealt with risk asessment studies and the licensing procedure

[en] Visits to the Muehleberg nuclear power station by members of the public took place during three weekends in the months of May and June 1985. 1800 people visited the station in groups of 20. Reactions of the people to the visit confirm their value to public relations. (G.T.H.)

[en] At 21.15 hours on the evening of the 28th July 1971, a turbine oil fire broke out in the Nuclear Power Plant Muehleberg of the Bernische Kraftwerke AG, resulting in damage amounting to around 20 million Swiss Francs and a delay of some ten months in putting the plant into operation. The plant is equipped with a General Electric boiling water reactor and two BBC saturated steam turbines. Up to the time of the fire, both turbo-sets had already been run singly up to their full capacity of 160 MWe and the initial trials with both sets working parallel were shortly due to be carried out. Following the outbreak of fire, the causes of which are described in the contributions of the authors Hagn, L. and H. Huppmann and Christian, H. and H. Grupp, fire fighting action was immediately taken, in line with the emergency measures laid down in the operating regulations. With the assistance of the Berne City Fire Brigade, the blaze in the roof of the turbine hall was first extinguished and the spreading cable conflagration then fought, using foam and water. (orig.)

[en] The author emphasizes the operator's responsibility for the safety of the nuclear power plant. He warns against unilateral evaluation of the risks of nuclear energy

[en] The original reactor protection equipment at the Muehlberg Boiling Water Reactor (378MWe) near Berne (Switzerland) was based on the relay technology commonly used in the early 1970s, when it was commissioned. After 20 years of operation, these relays were approaching the end of their service life and the time had come to upgrade the reactor protection system. However, instead of replacing the relays, an entirely new reactor protection system based on state-of-the-art electronics was installed. (Author)

[en] There are various methods available for the on-site decontamination of removable equipment in Switzerland: a shot peening glass beads method, using a mixture of demineralized water and glass beads within a closed box; high pressure water jet method; wet cleaning methods, using washing basins of different dimensions, detergent and brushes. The manuel cleaning is limited to a few cases, where the special form or the dimensions of the equipment do not allow the application of the glass bead method. Examples of the first two methods are discussed here. These methods have been in use at the nuclear power plant Muehleberg, which is a General Electric Mk I boiling water reactor of 306MWe (net) power and which has been in commercial operation since October 1972

[en] The most important requirements for the emergency team can be summarized in three points. 1) The emergency team must be made up of top personnel from all fields and it should be functionally equiped. 2) The emergency teams must have complete command of their equipment. 3) The members of the team must be well motivated. 1 fig