No own gas storage facilities: Federal Council expects risk of gas shortages in the medium term

class=”sc-29f61514-0 jbwksb”>

The Federal Council on Wednesday instructed the Department of Economy to submit a corresponding proposal by the end of October 2023 for a further extension of the regulation for a gas reserve, as announced. An early expansion of the gas reserve enables the gas industry to purchase storage capacity early and cheaper.

Switzerland gets almost all of its gas from abroad and has no seasonal storage facilities of its own. Up to three-quarters of gas supplies to Switzerland come from Germany. If there were a bottleneck in the EU, Switzerland would also be badly affected.

Switzerland agrees with the EU

The National Ordinance Gas Reserve 2022/2023 (Safety Ordinance) entered into force in May 2022 and was extended in February 2023. It is instructing the five regional gas network operators to purchase a physical gas supply of 15 percent in neighboring countries. This approximately six terawatt-hours (TWh) accounts for about one-sixth of Switzerland’s annual gas consumption (about 35 TWh).

The EU also obliges member states without their own gas storage to store 15 percent of their annual consumption in other EU countries in the winter of 2023/2024. According to the Federal Council, Switzerland is acting in a manner that is compatible and in solidarity with the EU with the stockholding obligation already put into practice last winter. (SDA)

Source:Blick