The procurement is the first contract signed under the governing Federal Council’s recent agreement to provide for back-up power plants. This measure will supplement the country’s hydropower reserves, which can be used in a targeted manner in winter if necessary, the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) announced on Friday.
The eight mobile gas turbines have been purchased from GE Gas Power and will be installed at the GE site in Birr in the northern Swiss canton of Aargau. They are powered by gas, but also by oil or hydrogen. They will be ready for operation this winter until the end of 2026. The total costs over the entire period amount to CHF470 million (around$480 million).
The setup comprises eight modular turbines of TM2500 type with a capacity of at least 30 megawatts each, making a total of around 250 megawatts.
In addition, negotiations with other potential suppliers of reserve power plants are still underway. These reserve power plants will be subject to the emissions trading scheme. At the same time, clarifications are being made as to which company will operate the plant.
Swiss money laundering office registers record number of reports
This content was published on
The Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS) registered a record number of reports of suspicious activity last year.
Two teens accused of planning terror attack released from custody
This content was published on
The Schaffhausen judiciary has released the two teenagers from custody who allegedly planned bomb attacks in Switzerland.
OECD: Sluggish economic activity slowing growth in Switzerland
This content was published on
Sluggish economic activity at the start of the year is weighing on growth in Switzerland, with GDP expected to fall to 1.1% in 2024.
Report finds mistakes which led to Swiss government data breach
This content was published on
Mistakes were made by both the government and internet company Xplain in the case of a criminal cyber-attack on the Bern-based IT business.
Swiss government wants better gender balance in federal administration
This content was published on
New Swiss government personnel management targets say there must be even more female managers in the federal administration.
Swiss national science foundation funded over 5,000 projects in 2023
This content was published on
In 2023, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) provided a total of CHF961 million worth of funding towards research projects.
Switzerland invites 160 delegations to June Ukraine peace talks
This content was published on
Russia is currently not among the delegations invited to talks aimed at helping bring about peace in the conflict between Moscow and Ukraine.
Survey: air travel most popular way to go on holidays for Swiss
This content was published on
Despite the climate crisis, flying is the most popular mode of transport for private travel – particularly among young, urban and high-income travellers.
Swiss government to use phone data to identify asylum seekers
This content was published on
From April 2025, authorities plan to be able to analyse data from mobile phones, computers and other data carriers to identify asylum seekers.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.