If progress is not made on an electricity agreement with the European Union, at least at a technical level, Switzerland is likely to face a significant problem guaranteeing electricity in the short and medium term, especially in winter.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ts
This is the conclusion of an external report on supply security, presented to the government on Wednesday. The report examined the consequences of three scenarios: completely renouncing cooperation with the EU, reaching at least technical agreements with neighbouring countries, and doing an electricity deal with the EU.
In the worst-case situation (no cooperation), the situation would become critical by March at the latest, according to the report. Domestic electricity demand could then no longer be guaranteed for 47 hours. Under an extreme assumption, the supply could be interrupted for up to 500 hours.
Technical cooperation with the transmission grid operators would mean the defined stress situation could “certainly be managed”, the report says of the second scenario.
The safest option, however, would be an electricity agreement with the EU, which would treat Switzerland as an EU member state in the EU’s internal market.
Strained relations
An electricity agreement with the EU has been on hold since 2018. At the end of May the government unilaterally walked away from negotiations with the EU on an institutional framework agreement, which also further compromised the chances of an electricity agreement.
In June the Federal Electricity Commission repeated its concerns about Switzerland’s ability to secure sufficient power supplies in the coming years.
More than 40 power lines connect the Swiss and European transmission grids across borders. Italy, for example, imports electricity from Germany that flows through Switzerland.
More
More
Electricity watchdog sounds warning on Swiss energy security
This content was published on
The Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom) has again voiced concern about Switzerland’s ability to secure sufficient power supplies.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Porrentruy mayor comments on Swiss pool ban controversy
This content was published on
The mayor of the Swiss town of Porrentruy, which has been in the headlines in neighbouring France after restricting access to a pool to locals after a spate of anti-social behaviour, says he has received much support in recent days.
Swiss universities to release multilingual AI programme
This content was published on
This summer researchers at Swiss universities will make available a large language model (LLM), an AI programme trained on vast amounts of data, developed on public infrastructure.
This content was published on
After a one-year test phase, Zurich's cantonal police are introducing an online police station. Demand is high and the response from the public has been positive.
This content was published on
The chic resort of St Moritz in southeastern Switzerland has registered "summer" as a trademark under the name "St Summer". The resort in canton Graubünden is launching a campaign to strengthen its summer business.
Swiss authorities detail progress on station access for people with reduced mobility
This content was published on
The Federal Office of Transport (FOT) said on Wednesday that 43 stations had been adapted for people with reduced mobility last year. The vast majority of rail travellers (82%) now benefit from easier access to stations, it says.
This content was published on
The prices of homes and apartments in Switzerland rose again in June. In the Lake Geneva region, prices of detached houses rose sharply. Meanwhile, in Zurich and its surrounding region the opposite trend was observed.
Crowded airports expected in Switzerland this summer
This content was published on
Switzerland's main airports are preparing for a busy summer holiday period. A number of changes have been introduced to improve passenger flows that are expected to be well above average in July and August.
Zurich police arrest 38 football and hockey fans after violent incidents
This content was published on
Zurich police have investigated 48 cases of fan violence at stadiums in the Swiss city since last autumn and arrested a total of 38 people, Swiss public television, SRF, reports.
Cashflow problems affect UN Human Rights Council activities
This content was published on
Certain activities of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council cannot be carried out in 2025-2026 due of the ongoing cash crisis affecting the UN.
Plaintiffs take Khaled Nezzar case to European Court of Human Rights
This content was published on
Two plaintiffs in a serious war crimes case against former Algerian Defence Minister Khaled Nezzar have filed an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights.
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.
Read more
More
Swiss electricity grid vulnerable to cyberattack
This content was published on
Swiss electricity providers are vulnerable to a Colonial Pipeline style ransomware attacks, says an energy ministry report.
IEA calls for a swift Swiss-EU deal on electricity
This content was published on
A review of Switzerland’s energy policy warns that a planned phase-out of nuclear will make it difficult to remain low-carbon in the coming decades.
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.