As part of SBS Swiss Business School’s focus on providing real-world education through extra-curricular and off-campus activities, students from the undergraduate (BBA) and graduate (MSc) cohorts embarked on a trip to Aargau to visit the Kernkraftwerk Leibstadt power plant; Switzerland’s newest and most powerful nuclear energy production facility. After an informative movie and explanation of the facility, students had a chance to tour the grounds and see features, such as the control center, the reactor building, and the iconic cooling tower. Our knowledgeable and informative guide gave us insights into how uranium is processed for energy, how fusion is controlled to produce heat, and very importantly, how the waste material is processed and stored to prevent contamination. The participants were able to use many of the tools in the visitor information center to better understand the different types of radiation, where it comes from, and its effect in nature.
All in all, it was a very informative and interesting visit which provided an intimate look into a power source that provides Switzerland with nearly 40% of its energy, and which will undoubtedly be a source of discussion in the decades to come.
