This winter, the emergency power stations did not have to be put into service, the hydraulic reserves did not have to be called upon and the population did not have to use candles for lighting.
On the contrary, distributors have noticed a drop in electricity consumption since last October. “We have seen a net drop of around 2% to 3%”, explains the spokesperson for Group E Nathalie Salamin, Thursday in the 7:30 p.m. of the RTS.
And to add: “There are several factors that contributed to this decline: the realization that savings had to be made and that prices were increasing.”
4% reduction in electricity consumption
This observation is shared by the Confederation. The objective of reducing electricity consumption by 10%, set by the Federal Council, has not been achieved. However, consumption fell by 4% between October 2022 and March 2023. On the other hand, the target of a 15% drop for gas was exceeded.
Energy savings in Switzerland between October 2022 and March 2023. [RTS]
The Confederation’s awareness campaign therefore had only a limited effect. According to National Councilor Delphine Klopfenstein (Green/GE), more needs to be done to avoid future shortages. “We must now support the population with incentive measures. At the same time, the Federal Council must commit to binding measures.”
According to the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, consumers should continue to make voluntary savings this year, as electricity price increases are only now starting to show up on their bills.
Fanny Zürcher and Jean-Marc Heuberger/vajo