Water temperatures to drop after the Mühleberg plant closes

Mühleberg is the first Swiss nuclear power plant slated for decommissioning in 2019. EPFL researchers have shown that its shutdown will lower water temperatures in the Aar River and Lake Biel, and could affect waterways as far away as Germany. When the Mühleberg nuclear power station goes offline in 2019, the waters of the Aar River and Lake Biel will cool down. And since the Aar feeds into the Rhine, the effects could be felt as far away as southern Germany. Should we be worried? It's hard to say. The drop in temperature, which EPFL researchers estimate at 0.3°C, should slow the local impact of global warming. But it can also be an advantage for nearby companies that draw water from the Aar and the Rhine to cool their machinery.