Lucens

Lucens (lysɑ̃s) is a municipality in the Broye-Vully district in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. In 2017 the former municipalities of Brenles, Chesalles-sur-Moudon, Cremin, Forel-sur-Lucens and Sarzens merged into the municipality of Lucens. Lucens is first mentioned in 964 as in villa Losingus. It was formerly known by the German name Losingen. In 1969 the Lucens reactor, an underground nuclear reactor, began operations. It was a pilot project to test a heavy-water moderated, carbon dioxide gas-cooled reactor. Soon after the initial start up, an undetected blockage in one of the cooling pipes led to a partial fuel meltdown and massive radioactive contamination of the underground site. Following the accident, the reactor was decommissioned and the cavern was then sealed. No humans were irradiated in the accident. After the 2017 merger Lucens had an area of . Before the merger Lucens had an area, (as of the 2004/09 survey) of . Of this area, about 42.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 36.8% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 18.0% is settled (buildings or roads) and 2.3% is unproductive land. In the 2013/18 survey a total of or about 12.0% of the total area was covered with buildings, an increase of over the 1981 amount. Over the same time period, the amount of recreational space in the municipality decreased by and is now about 0.38% of the total area. Of the agricultural land, is used for orchards and vineyards, is fields and grasslands. Since 1981 the amount of agricultural land has decreased by . Over the same time period the amount of forested land has decreased by . Rivers and lakes cover in the municipality. The municipality was part of the Moudon District until it was dissolved on 31 August 2006, and Lucens became part of the new district of Broye-Vully. The municipality is located along the left bank of the Broye. The municipality of Oulens-sur-Lucens will merge on 1 July 2011 into the municipality of Lucens. The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Per bend Argent and Gules, overall a Sun in his splendour Or.