How many panels will be installed and on what surface?

The project involves 1000 photovoltaic panels covering a total area of 7000 square meters on the roof of the access gallery to the tunnel. The modules will be tilted at 60 degrees.

When will the system go into operation?

The installation is proceeding in phases: approximately 3000 square meters should be operational by the end of 2026, while the remaining 4000 square meters will be activated during 2027. Installation is gradual between the end of 2026 and 2027.

How much energy will the system produce and what will it be used for?

Expected annual production is 450 MWh, equal to half the gallery's energy needs. The energy will power lighting, electromechanical systems and ventilation, providing a winter supplement to the hydroelectric plant already present in the tunnel.

Who carries out the work and what is the cost?

The work is carried out directly by the employees of Tunnel du Grand-St-Bernard SA, and the project is being completed 100% by the company. The total investment amounts to around 2 million francs.

Is there a connection with the floating solar park at Lac des Toules?

No. The source specifies that this project has no connection with the floating solar park on Lac des Toules (at an altitude of 1810 meters in the territory of Bourg-Saint-Pierre), which belongs to the electricity company Romande Energie.

Gran San Bernardo Tunnel: 1000 solar panels cover half of energy needs

Di Redazione Frontaliere Ticino · Published on 13 October 2026

Photovoltaic panels on Grand St. Bernard tunnel gallery at Bourg-Saint-Pierre

1000 panels on the Swiss side of the Great St Bernard Pass 7000 m² of planned photovoltaic area 450 MWh annually: half of the tunnel's needs

Context

TL;DR

1000 panels on the Swiss side of the Great St Bernard Pass
7000 m² of planned photovoltaic surface area
450 MWh per year: half of the tunnel's needs
Investment of approximately 2 million francs

Key facts

What → photovoltaic system on the access gallery
Where → Bourg-Saint-Pierre, Swiss side
Who → Tunnel du Grand-St-Benard SA
When → installation between the end of 2026 and 2027
Production → 450 MWh per year
Tilt → 60 degrees
Cost → approximately 2 million francs
Implementation → company employees, project carried out 100% in-house

One thousand solar panels, tilted at 60 degrees, are at the centre of the project being carried out by Tunnel du Grand-St-Benard SA in Bourg-Saint-Pierre, on the Swiss side of the Great St Bernard. The system will cover the roof of the gallery providing access to the tunnel.

The decision was made to increase reliance on renewable energy. The planned total area is 7000 square metres; the text describes the panels as currently being installed.

A schedule divided into tranches

The schedule proceeds in tranches. Installation of the thousand panels will begin at the end of 2026 and continue in 2027. The commissioning of approximately 3000 square metres is expected by the end of this year, while the remaining 4000 will be activated during the following year. Before moving to the installation phase, the company carried out a testing period between 2022 and 2025.

The expected result is stated precisely: 450 MWh of electricity produced each year, equal to half the tunnel's energy needs. The source therefore links the new production to the consumption of the tunnel's facilities.

“We have a large flat roof area,” said Baptiste Cavin, engineer responsible for maintenance and projects at Tunnel du Grand-St-Bernard SA.

Cavin specified that the solar farm will provide a winter supplement to the production already available. Electricity demand covers lighting, electromechanical systems and ventilation, and is described as considerable.

The total cost of the work is approximately 2 million francs. The work is carried out by company employees, and the project is 100% in-house.

The source finally specifies that this project has no connection with the floating solar farm on Lac des Toules, located at an altitude of 1810 metres in Bourg-Saint-Pierre territory (VS) and belonging to the electricity company Romande Energie. This distinction clarifies the scope of the announcement: the project concerns the tunnel and its roof on the Swiss side.

Operational details

A practical look at the investment

The new plant is part of a renewable production system already operating at the company. Inside the tunnel, a hydroelectric power station operates, powered by a small dam built along the road to the Great St Bernard Pass.

An additional source for the tunnel's systems

The photovoltaic system is presented as a winter supplement to current production. The choice of a flat roof makes it possible to use a surface already associated with the tunnel, while the panels' inclination is given as 60 degrees. However, the source does not provide a separate output for each panel.

Table 1: Item
Item	Source data
Existing production	Hydroelectric power station in the tunnel
New plant	Solar panels on the tunnel
Mentioned consumption	Lighting, electromechanical systems, ventilation
Expected result	450 MWh per year, half of the demand

This reading avoids confusing three different quantities: the 7000 square meters describe the area, the 1000 panels indicate the number of modules, and the 450 MWh represent the expected annual production. The text does not provide data on the output of individual panels or payback periods; adding them would mean going beyond the source.

This distinction also applies to the Lac des Toules project. The floating solar park is located at an altitude of 1810 meters, also in the area identified as Bourg-Saint-Pierre (VS), but belongs to the electric utility Romande Energie and is not connected to the project of Tunnel du Grand-St-Benard SA. The cost of approximately 2 million francs therefore concerns the tunnel company's work, carried out by its staff.

For families and those working in Switzerland, the news does not indicate any effects on other expenses or on conditions different from those of the project. To distinguish this corporate investment from the household budget, you can consult the guide to costo della vita in Svizzera.

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Key points

How to follow progress

The source does not assign residents or workers a procedure to follow. The most concrete action is therefore to monitor progress through the indicators already provided, without turning the project data into unpublished estimates.

Four data checks

1. Separate number and surface area. The first check consists of distinguishing the 1000 panels from the 7000 square meters of planned coverage. The inclination indicated for the modules is 60 degrees.

2. Verify the first milestone. According to the source, the first deadline for the construction site is the commissioning of approximately 3000 square meters, scheduled by the end of this year. This is the first time reference to monitor.

3. Check the second tranche. The remaining 4000 square meters should become operational over the course of the following year. The installation of all one thousand panels is described as gradual between the end of 2026 and 2027.

4. Compare the final result. The energy parameter to verify is annual production of 450 MWh, which by 2027 will correspond to half of the tunnel's energy needs.

The stated overall cost is approximately 2 million francs. To read the figure correctly, it must be kept connected to the work carried out by the company's employees and to the 100% completion by the company. The source does not indicate a price per panel, an energy tariff, or a payback period.

No forms, applications or deadlines are indicated for those who live or work in the area either. The project is presented as an intervention by the company on its own tunnel; for a separate reading of disposable income, one can consult busta paga svizzera. To assess your personal budget in Switzerland, use calcolatore stipendio.

Source: tio.ch

Frequently Asked Questions

How many panels will be installed and on what surface?: The project involves 1000 photovoltaic panels covering a total area of 7000 square meters on the roof of the access gallery to the tunnel. The modules will be tilted at 60 degrees.
When will the system go into operation?: The installation is proceeding in phases: approximately 3000 square meters should be operational by the end of 2026, while the remaining 4000 square meters will be activated during 2027. Installation is gradual between the end of 2026 and 2027.
How much energy will the system produce and what will it be used for?: Expected annual production is 450 MWh, equal to half the gallery's energy needs. The energy will power lighting, electromechanical systems and ventilation, providing a winter supplement to the hydroelectric plant already present in the tunnel.
Who carries out the work and what is the cost?: The work is carried out directly by the employees of Tunnel du Grand-St-Bernard SA, and the project is being completed 100% by the company. The total investment amounts to around 2 million francs.
Is there a connection with the floating solar park at Lac des Toules?: No. The source specifies that this project has no connection with the floating solar park on Lac des Toules (at an altitude of 1810 meters in the territory of Bourg-Saint-Pierre), which belongs to the electricity company Romande Energie.