Germany to Auction Reserve Power Plants After 2026
Published: Friday, Jul 28th 2023, 12:00
Aktualisiert am: Freitag, 13. Oktober 2023, 14:12
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The Swiss Federal Office of Energy (BFE) has issued a call for reserve power plants to replace the existing three reserve power plants whose contracts will expire in the spring of 2026. The total capacity of the reserves, which are only switched on when needed, is to remain at 400 megawatts (MW) as before. The contracts for the providers are to run for 15 years with the possibility of extension, after which the plants must be dismantled. The current fossil-fueled reserve power plants in Birr AG, Cornaux NE and Monthey VS are regulated by the temporary Winter Reserve Ordinance. At the end of June, the Federal Council issued a revision of the Electricity Supply Act for consultation, which creates its own legal basis for electricity reserves. This includes the water power reserve, the pooled emergency groups and the combined heat and power plants. However, there is currently no legal basis for the call for reserve power plants. Therefore, the cantonal government provides for compensation for advance payments to the operators in the event that Parliament or the people reject the revised Electricity Supply Act. The first call for reserve power plants for 400 MW of power is based on calculations by the Swiss Federal Electricity Commission. Existing, new or decommissioned plants can submit bids. The prerequisite is participation in the emissions trading system and compliance with environmental protection regulations. The climate strike movement has described the call for tenders as a scandal. The Electricity Supply Act is still in consultation and already Environment and Energy Minister Albert Rösti is creating climate-damaging facts without a legal basis. The climate strike will fight all fossil power plants on all levels and is considering a referendum against the Electricity Supply Act.
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