Power cuts could occur this winter
The chairman of the Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom), Werner Luginbühl, warns that cuts of several hours are to be expected this winter.
Political circles have not taken seriously enough the warnings launched for years by ElCom, in the eyes of Werner Luginbühl.
AFP
Power cuts lasting several hours are to be expected this winter in Switzerland, according to the president of the Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom), Werner Luginbühl. He accuses political circles of not having “taken seriously” the warnings of ElCom.
It is advisable “to have enough candles and wood for those who have a stove”, warns Werner Luginbühl in the pages of the German-speaking newspaper “NZZ am Sonntag”. But cuts of several hours represent a disaster scenario, he tempers. And the situation would remain “manageable”.
For Werner Luginbühl, this scenario would be less likely if energy were used more wisely. Electricity is currently being used “in a completely thoughtless way”. “If we realized more that it is not self-evident, we could do a lot,” he commented.
‘Not taken seriously’
Political circles have not taken seriously enough the warnings launched for years by ElCom, in the eyes of Werner Luginbühl. However, the war in Ukraine has worsened the situation beyond what the commission had anticipated. “The situation in recent months has shown that we need to approach the topic of security of supply in a much more resolute and determined way,” he said.
There is a risk that Europe will find itself in a situation of large-scale electricity and gas shortages, which would also mean that France – usually a main supplier – would disappear as a source of electricity in winter.
Depending on the situation, Germany and Italy would then possibly come into play as suppliers, added Werner Luginbühl. The new emergency reserves of the Swiss dams could only cope with the biggest shortage problems for two to six weeks.
ATS/Fabien Le Floch
You found an error?Please let us know.