Switzerland plans storing hydropower to guarantee sufficient energy supply for winter

Accumulation of reserve quantities of hydropower is planned by the Swiss government. By doing so, the government intends to guarantee an absence of interruptions in energy supply during the upcoming winter.

According to a statement made by the country leaders, Switzerland is currently having no problems in energy supply. Although due to the issues related to gas supplies to European countries and the strengthening of safety control over the French nuclear power plants accompanied by inspections, there’s a reason to expect power supply interruptions this winter.

As it was noted in the statement, creating a hydroenegy reserve will aid in providing power during a crucial period towards the end of winter. It’s also allowable to use the reserved energy for electricity generation.

The estimated spending costs of creating such a reserve of 500 GWh are calculated to be about 700 million Swiss francs (which equals about $710 million). This factor will definitely affect the electricity prices set for Swiss households, with an expected rise being roughly suggested to be of 1.2 centimes per KWh. The overall rise of the power bills is forecasted to be by around 27% next year.

The government of Switzerland has also noted that besides the reserve creating, there are other safety measures planned. Reserve power plants were named to be another important safety elements, as it’s possible for them to use gas, oil or hydrogen to produce electricity.