French gas flows into German-speaking Switzerland for the first time
Published: Thursday, Jan 4th 2024, 12:20
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The gas supply in Switzerland, which is entirely dependent on imports, is taking a leap forward. For the first time this winter, gas can be transported from France to central and eastern Switzerland, i.e. from west to east and not just from north to south. The Association of the Swiss Gas Industry (VSG) draws attention to this.
The gas supply company Gaznat from Vevey VD has created the technical conditions to increase its transport capacities for gas from France for the benefit of regional companies in the Swiss Plateau as well as Eastern and Central Switzerland, according to a press release issued on Thursday. This is an important contribution to strengthening security of supply in Switzerland.
According to VSG, up to three quarters of gas supplies come to Switzerland from the north. Switzerland would therefore be severely affected by export restrictions from Germany. There were fears of a gas shortage due to the loss of Russian gas imports to Germany following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Since May 2022, an ordinance has been in force that obliges Swiss regional companies to build up winter reserves in foreign gas storage facilities; these correspond to around 15 percent of Switzerland's annual gas consumption.
Switzerland has neither its own natural gas reserves nor large domestic storage capacities. For this reason, 100 percent of natural gas consumption must be covered by imports. Swiss gas companies obtain their natural gas from trading centers in the surrounding EU countries.
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