“YES to a secure electric power supply”
A federal popular initiative in preparation
Media release of the “FDP.Die Liberalen” of the Canton of Zug
(13 December 2021) “FDP.Die Liberalen, Zug” is launching a national popular initiative for a secure electric power supply. The aim is to guarantee that Switzerland will have a self-sufficient electric power supply in line with its load by the year 2050. This means that security of supply must be guaranteed at all times, regardless of trading with other countries. Otherwise, there is a risk of electric power supply shortages, outages, grid damages and enormous economic losses.
The national popular initiative “YES to a secure electric power supply” drafted by the FDP.Die Liberalen, Zug, is intended to obligate the federal government to lay down principles for a load-oriented or self-sufficient electric power supply by 2050. To this end, the Confederation shall issue regulations on the expansion of the power grids and the production of electric power, and it may set interim targets overall or for individual technologies. The initiative text, which adds three corresponding paragraphs to Art. 89 (“Energy Policy”) of the Swiss Federal Constitution, is available. The collection of signatures will begin in spring 2022 after approval by the cantonal party assembly and in coordination with the FDP Switzerland.
Electric power supply shortage is the greatest safety risk
The so-called load or self-sufficient electric power supply guarantees that Switzerland is supplied with the required amount of electric power at all times, regardless of trading with foreign countries (imports and exports). Up to now, Switzerland has been largely self-sufficient when looking at the annual average. In the future, this will no longer be sufficient.
The planned phase-out of nuclear energy will fundamentally change the availability of electricity. To make matters worse, in the medium term the reliability of the EU as a partner in international electricity balancing is called into question. If we do not immediately ensure that a sufficient electric power supply is available at all times, even at peak times, in winter or during international crises, there is a risk of electric power supply shortages, outages, grid damages and enormous economic losses.
According to The National Risk Analysis of Disasters and Emergencies in Switzerland 2020 of the Federal Office for Civil Protection (FOCP), a severe electric power supply shortage represents the greatest security risk for Switzerland, even ahead of the increasing number of cyber attacks.1 Massively higher consumption
due to energy transition
The “YES to a secure electric power supply” initiative is set in the context of international politics and economic and social developments. Following the breakdown of negotiations on an institutional agreement between Switzerland and the EU, there will be no electricity agreement with Brussels in the foreseeable future. In addition, neighbouring countries will be able to export less electricity due to the phase-out of nuclear and coal energy. This increases the pressure on Switzerland to secure the supply independently and at all times.
Simultaneously, with the climate goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in 2050 and the energy transition in the pan-European context, electricity demand is sharply rising. The trend set by policymakers is clearly moving in the direction of electrification. According to the Energy Perspectives 2050+ of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), Switzerland’s electricity consumption will increase from currently 66 TWh to around 84 TWh in 2050. The biggest drivers of this additional consumption are electric vehicles in road traffic and heat pumps.2 According to estimates by the Swiss Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom), which is responsible for monitoring the security of supply, the situation for Switzerland will become particularly acute over the winter half-year.
Strengthening Switzerland as a business location
It is therefore urgently necessary to set the right course for the future without delay and with far-sightedness. Since a self-sufficient electric power supply in line with the load cannot be established overnight, the popular initiative “YES to a secure electric power supply” sets a deadline of 2050 for achieving this goal. The text of the initiative deliberately does not stipulate any specific technologies. Securing Switzerland’s electric power supply must be open to all technologies.
Permanent security of supply in the electricity sector is an essential location factor for Switzerland as a business and industrial location. The expected further rapid development towards an information society will additionally boost electricity consumption.
With its high proportion of services and information technology, as well as the “Crypto Valley”, the canton of Zug is playing a pioneering role in this respect. With its popular initiative “YES to a secure electric power supply”, the FDP Zug wants to make a decisive contribution to the prosperous and sustainable development of the Swiss economy and society.
| Note by the editors of "Swiss Standpoint” According to Cédric Schmid, President of the FDP.DieLiberalen Canton Zug, the text of the popular initiative “YES to a secure electric power supply” will be submitted to the Federal Chancellery in Bern by a broad-based committee in mid-January 2022. |
Source: media release from 1 October 2021. FDP.Die Liberalen, Zug. Postfach, 6300 Zug. info@fdp-zg.ch, www.fdp-zg.ch
(Translation “Swiss Standpoint“)
1 National Risk Analysis of Disasters and Emergencies in Switzerland 2020, Federal Office for Civil Protection, November 2020. In the event of a power supply shortage of 30 percent during several winter months, the FOCP calculates damages of over CHF 180 billion.
2 Energy Perspectives 2050+. Summary report. SFOE. November 2020.