EU electricity deal needed!: Swissgrid boss: Definitely need electricity deal with EU

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Rösti said in an interview published on Saturday in the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” (NZZ) that Switzerland does not need an electricity agreement “at any price”. “This is a political statement,” Yves Zumwald said in an interview published in the NZZ on Friday. There is currently a political power game taking place between Bern and Brussels.

“This does not change our belief that the relationship in the electricity sector between Switzerland and the EU must normalize,” said the head of the national grid operator. “Today we see a decoupling of Switzerland from the European electricity market – and that not only endangers the stability of the electricity grid, but also makes it difficult to integrate Swiss power plants into Europe.” Without participation in the European electricity grid, the tension in the domestic transmission network increases and safe network operation becomes more difficult.

According to Zumwald, Switzerland’s neighbors are increasing their capacity allocation by ten percent every year. This leads to an increase in trade within the EU; physically, part of the electricity also flows via Switzerland. “Because of these unplanned flows, Switzerland will have less than 30 percent of its transport capacity available after 2025,” says Zumwald. The 70 percent rule will then come into effect in the EU. “We expect a huge increase in unplanned electricity flows through Switzerland. At the same time, our ability to import is eroding.”

“We must work together with Europe”

According to the European grid operators, everyone is in the same boat, according to Zumwald. “There is no doubt among network operators in Europe that we need to work with Europe at a technical level. We are physically connected to Europe via 41 border lines – and we operate the network together with our European partners. It is a very bad idea to exclude Swissgrid from platforms and committees that help keep the electricity grid stable.”

It is possible to conclude contracts with foreign network operators. This was achieved, for example, with Italy. “But in the north we have been negotiating with France, Germany and other EU countries for three years without a solution in sight,” Zumwald said. “Moreover, such technical contracts simply ensure that we can collaborate with the grid operators in these countries. But that’s a bare minimum solution. That is why we are far from integrated into the European market.”

A Switzerland with a self-sufficient electricity supply is also an illusion, according to Zumwald. “The greater the desired independence from Europe, the more expensive it will be.”

Source:Blick