The Federal Council intends to continue to maintain Switzerland's high level of electricity supply security even without nuclear energy in the medium term. This was the decision taken at its special meeting on 25 May 2011. Existing nuclear power plants are to be decommissioned when they reach the end of their service life, and will not be replaced by new ones. In order to guarantee supply security in the future, within the scope of its new Energy Strategy 2050 the Federal Council is focusing on increased energy efficiency, the expansion of hydropower and use of new renewable energy, and, where necessary, on fossil-fuel-based electricity production (combined heat and power plants, gas-fired combined cycle power plants) and imports. Furthermore, Switzerland's electricity networks are to be expanded without delay and energy research is to be intensified.