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Swissgrid supports the energy strategy of the federal government. It would like to contribute to attaining the ambitious goals of the Energy Strategy 2050. However, from a transmission grid viewpoint, the first package of measures is insufficient. The proposed measures are not nearly enough to guarantee today’s extremely high security of supply in the future.

Swissgrid submitted its response to the consultation on the first package of Energy Strategy 2050 measures to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) at the end of January within the prescribed time. In doing so, it deliberately concentrated on those legislative proposals that concern its tasks as an independent grid company.

Energy reform reality

In its response, Swissgrid stated that energy reform is already a reality in the European grid network for power transmission. Increasing feed-in fluctuations due to wind and solar power alongside the simultaneous cessation of nuclear base load generation are additionally challenging the grid management. This development will continue and intensify with implementation of the first package of Energy Strategy 2050 measures also in Switzerland. The existing technical bottlenecks in Switzerland’s grid have to be removed. The time-consuming approval and construction procedures, which currently average twelve years and sometimes as much as 30 years urgently have to be shortened.

Swissgrid’s primary concerns

A secure future supply of electricity requires a fundamentally revised approval procedure that goes far beyond the federal government’s planned measures. This includes the following elements, among others:

1. Binding schedules at every stage, i.e. for project planners, public authorities and courts
2. Binding findings, beginning with the sectoral plan process: legally binding decisions concerning corridor and technology with an opportunity for objections from all affected parties (public authorities, communities, private persons and associations
3. Removal of an appellate court
4. Expansion of simplified procedure for optimisation and strengthening of the grid
5. Reduction in the number of public authorities managing procedures

This process gives every participant the opportunity to be activly involved in the line construction project. At the same time, both public authorities and the courts will be relieved of some of their burden. Legally binding decisions ensure planning and implementation certainty and create the conditions for timely adaptation of the grid to the energy strategy of the Confederation.

Swissgrid’s additional concerns

Swissgrid’s additional concerns involve

• The meaningful integration and use of renewable energies from an economic management perspective: The existing grid infrastructure must be taken into account in the promotion of decentralised power generation and grid costs need to be fairly invoiced on the basis of usage. Similarly, Swissgrid calls for an integrated Smart Grid Strategy for optimum use of energy.
• The security of grid operation: A prerogative for a secure energy supply is the protection of the corresponding infrastructures, which includes both physical facilities and electronic and other virtual systems. This aspect needs to be amended in the draft for the Energy Act.
• Cooperation with other countries and development of future-oriented market models: This will create additional opportunities for optimum use of energy and consolidate Switzerland’s important position in the power market.
• The need to organise the central office of the feed-in compensation system as an independent enterprise or foundation: This would safeguard Swissgrid’s neutrality with respect to the promotion of power generation systems and the possible financial risks would not burden the grid.

You can find out about all of Swissgrid’s concerns and even more information in the complete consultation response.

http://www.swissgrid.ch/swissgrid/en/home/current/news/_11_02_2013_01.html