Parliament can decide on measures to combat electricity shortages
Published: Friday, Mar 1st 2024, 13:20
Updated At: Friday, Mar 1st 2024, 13:20
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Switzerland still faces the risk of an electricity shortage in winter. The Federal Council therefore wants to enshrine measures to secure the supply for an indefinite period in law. These include reserve power plants that can be operated with oil and gas.
On Friday, the national government adopted its dispatch to the councils. Parliament can now decide on the measures.
This involves changes to the Electricity Supply Act, the Energy Act and the CO2 Act. The Federal Council writes that the challenges of having enough electricity in winter remain high. It therefore wants to be able to specifically promote the production of winter electricity.
The legal basis for the electricity reserve in the winter half-year is the Winter Reserve Ordinance, which is valid until the end of 2026. It regulates the use of the hydropower reserve and a thermal reserve. This consists of reserve power plants, pooled emergency power groups and combined heat and power plants (CHP plants).
The legal basis for a hydropower reserve is laid down in the Electricity Supply Act, which will be voted on by the electorate on June 9. According to the Federal Council, the thermal reserve should be a supplement to this.
The Federal Council proposes central regulations for the thermal reserve. It should only be called up if the demand for electricity on the electricity exchange for the following day exceeds the supply. If the situation is critical, the Federal Council should coordinate between the electricity reserve and measures for the economic national supply.
Costs for the end consumer
If the reserve power plants powered by fossil fuels have to be started up, the Federal Council should be able to decide on adjustments to the regulations on CO2 emissions. He cited "proportionate and temporary exceptions" in environmental protection law as an example. It also wants to be able to intervene in cantonal operating regulations.
Anyone who makes a plant available for the thermal reserve receives a fee from the federal government - and compensation if the energy is actually needed. Participation in the thermal power reserve will be decided on the basis of tenders. The Federal Council will be able to specify target values for the dimensioning of the individual components of the reserve.
In the view of the Federal Council, the costs for the thermal reserve are part of the chargeable operating costs of the transmission grid. This must be borne by end consumers.
Promotion of CHP plants
The Federal Council also wants to focus on CHP plants that do not participate in the electricity reserve and has earmarked investment contributions of CHF 20 million per year for a period of ten years. The new CHP plants are to supply an additional 400 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity in the winter half-year.
These contributions are to be financed via the grid surcharge fund. According to the Federal Council, this will not increase the grid surcharge. In doing so, it wants to take up a request from Parliament: The Council of States is expected to decide on the corresponding motion on Tuesday; its responsible committee recommends that the proposal be referred.
A consumption reserve is not an issue for the Federal Council. According to its dispatch, it has not included corresponding demands from the consultation process. The sector is therefore not to be obliged to reduce demand in a targeted manner.
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