Four billion to keep the light from missing (cross-border guide)

Context

The Birr reserve power plant should be preserved. Economiesuisse's estimate is that Switzerland should invest four billion francs to ensure stable energy reserves. This investment would be essential to ensure the country's energy security and prevent future shortages.

Switzerland is already one of the nations most at risk of energy shortages in Europe, with domestic electricity production covering only 60% of its needs. Recent years have seen a significant increase in the demand for electricity, mainly due to the increase in population and urbanization.

According to a report by consulting firm EY, Switzerland could risk an energy shortage by 2025 if no action is taken. The situation is particularly critical in the cantons of Central Switzerland, where electricity demand is higher than domestic production.

Economiesuisse's estimate predicts that investments of four billion francs will be needed to ensure the country's energy security. This investment could be used to:

• Develop new backup power plants
• Improve the energy efficiency of existing power plants
• Develop new technologies for the production of electricity
• Improve the electricity transmission network

Switzerland has already taken some measures to ensure the

Operational details

The Finance Committee of the National Council considers that the urgency of this measure is questionable and criticises the fact that less expensive alternatives have not been studied. A report by the Federal Financial Controller, which will be published in September, is critical. 📊

According to the report, the cost of the measure, which involves the construction of new power plants, would be around 4.2 billion francs. This amount is intended to cover only 20% of the total cost, which is estimated to be around CHF 21 billion.

The report highlights that Switzerland has already invested over 10 billion francs in the construction of power plants, and that these plants could still be used for many years. In addition, the report stresses that Switzerland has sufficient electricity storage capacity to cover the needs of more than 10 years.

The Finance Commission of the National Council criticized the fact that the measure did not consider cheaper alternatives, such as the construction of smaller power plants or the promotion of energy efficiency. The Commission also criticised the fact that the measure did not provide for a savings plan to cover any additional costs.

Switzerland is already able to cover its energy needs thanks to its power plants, and the construction of new power plants may be superfluous. In addition, Switzerland has already

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Key points

It is advisable for Switzerland to invest in electricity production during the winter. The Federal Councilor responsible for Energy, Albert Rösti, has proposed the project of four new reserve power plants running on fossil energy. However, the National Council's Finance Committee expressed doubts about the urgency of this measure and criticized the fact that less expensive alternatives were not studied.

The project involves the investment of approximately 4 billion Swiss francs to build four new reserve power plants, each with a production capacity of 500 MW of electricity. This means that each power station would have the capacity to supply around 1.5 million inhabitants with electricity for a week, if needed. The project was presented as a necessary measure to ensure the security of the national energy supply, especially during the colder winter seasons.

However, the National Council's Finance Committee expressed doubts about the urgency of this measure and criticized the fact that less expensive alternatives were not studied. The commission requested to know details about the alternative options and costs of implementing the project. Furthermore, the commission asked to evaluate the possibility of using renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind energy, to reduce the environmental impact of the project.

The reserve power plant project was presented as a necessary measure to ensure the security of the national energy supply. According to estimates, Switzerland may need an additional 2 billion Swiss francs to cover its electricity needs by 2030. The reserve power plant project has been presented as a measure to ensure the security of the national energy supply and reduce dependence on Russia for natural gas imports.

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