145 kilometers of heat. And security that stays with you.

Nuclear power generates more than just electricity.

If you think of electricity first when you hear about the Beznau nuclear power plant, you are certainly right. However, for decades, a portion of the energy produced has been used in another way: as heat for an entire region.

REFUNA AG utilizes waste heat from the nuclear power plant's turbine cycle. A heat exchanger is used to heat water, which is then transported through the district heating network in the lower Aare Valley.

The basic principle is simple: District heating works like a giant central heating system – not just for a single building, but for an entire region.

Hot water on a 145-kilometer journey

From the central heat generation plant, the heated water travels via the supply line to the connected buildings. There, a heat transfer station transfers the energy to the internal heating and hot water system. The cooled water then flows back to be reheated.

Today, REFUNA supplies customers in eleven municipalities:

Klingnau, Leuggern, Riniken, Rüfenach, Brugg/Umiken, Untersiggenthal, Villigen/Stilli, Böttstein/Kleindöttingen, Döttingen, Endingen, and Würenlingen.

What sounds simple is actually a remarkable infrastructure: around 145 kilometers of district heating pipes, approximately 2,700 connections and around 170,000 MWh of heat annually make up one of the largest regional central heating systems in Switzerland.

Heat from nuclear power – and wood

Since the end of 2017, REFUNA has supplemented its heat supply with the product REFUNA WOODAt the heating plant on Badstrasse in Döttingen, wood is burned to generate heat for the existing district heating network.

The facility was a first step toward developing additional regional heat sources and gradually making long-term supply less dependent on heat extraction from the Beznau nuclear power plant.

Whether it is a nuclear power plant, wood-fired heating plant, backup facility, or heat transfer station: the entire system must be continuously monitored, checked, and maintained to ensure that heat reliably reaches our customers.

When district heating suddenly becomes lone working

145 kilometers of pipeline network also means:

• technical facilities at numerous locations
• inspections along the distribution network
• work in heating and technical rooms
• tasks at transfer stations
• troubleshooting outside of regular operating hours
• employees who are occasionally out of sight and earshot

Not every task can be performed as a team. Employees are often on their own, especially during inspections, service calls, and on-call duty.

And even in the middle of a populated area, a routine job can quickly turn into lone working: a closed door, an underground technical room, or a remote section of the pipeline network is enough to ensure a cry for help goes unheard.

Personal central heating for safety

REFUNA ensures that heat flows reliably through a widely branched network.

Uepaa ensures that employee safety goes along with it.

With the Uepaa Safety App, lone workers get a digital safety solution directly on their smartphone. In the event of an accident, a medical emergency, or a lack of movement, an alarm can be triggered automatically. At the same time, employees can request help themselves at any time.

This turns an ordinary smartphone into a personal safety device for operations throughout the entire supply area.

Key features:

✅ Man-down function for lone workers according to Suva 44094
✅ Automatic alarm in case of immobility
✅ Manual emergency trigger
✅ Cross-site deployment across the entire distribution network
✅ Direct peer-to-peer assistance and professional alarm management
✅ Bring Your Own Device
✅ A SWISS LABEL product

Strong infrastructure requires safe people

District heating connects central energy production with thousands of individual buildings. For this system to function reliably, it requires people to monitor facilities, resolve faults, and keep the extensive network running every day.

By using Uepaa for protection, REFUNA is investing not only in the operational reliability of its infrastructure but, above all, in the personal safety of its employees.

145 kilometers of heat supply. Eleven municipalities. And safety that is always there.

We would like to thank REFUNA AG for their trust and wish the entire team continued safe, warm, and accident-free operations.

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