Council of States-Gfroerlis puts heating back to 22 degrees

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Federal council member Simonetta Sommaruga (62) wanted to set a good example. When Switzerland feared an energy shortage, the Federal Councilor ordered the radiators in the public administration to be closed. The order was a maximum of 20 degrees Celsius. Parliament also agreed. Many parliamentarians were freezing cold, especially during the winter session.

Now the President of the Council of States, Brigitte Häberli-Koller (64), has shuddered enough: she has ordered the temperature to be raised again, writes the “Tages-Anzeiger”. Many employees and council members are ill due to conscription. As president of the Council of States, Häberli-Koller has the right of domicile in the small chamber and is therefore the sole ruler of heating and thermostats.

In the Council of States it is now a comfortable 22 degrees again.

People should save

Spicy: the Swiss population must continue to save energy. “The energy supply situation in Switzerland and Europe remains tense and is likely to be even more challenging in the winter of 2023/24 than in the current winter,” the Federal Office of Energy said in a recent statement. The Federal Council therefore wants to continue the energy-saving campaign and is requesting an additional credit of 7 million Swiss francs.

Incidentally, the National Council Hall is still less heated – but it is warmer there because there are many more people in the room. Angry gossip claims that more hot air is produced there anyway than in the “chambre de reflexion”.

We are all energy saving grumps

But the Swiss also love conviviality. In February, the country fell short of the Federal Council’s electricity savings target. In the winter months from October to March that should be ten percent. But last month, at an estimated 5.3 percent, it was just over half, as the latest figures from the federal government’s energy dashboard show.

Incidentally, we are better at saving gas: Switzerland should save almost 4,000 gigawatt hours in the winter months by the end of March – ie 15 percent of gas consumption. The savings target was reached at the end of January. And in the relatively warm February, the cushion was expanded again. With a saving of 5116 gigawatt hours, the saving target has already been achieved by 128 percent. (brother)

Source:Blick