Green Liberal leader blames power companies for low reservoir levels

Reservoirs in Graubünden are around two-thirds full and those in Ticino half full, prompting Green Liberal Party president Jürg Grossen to accuse energy companies of producing and exporting too much electricity over the summer. Swiss broadcaster SRF reported the dispute on Tuesday.

Grossen said companies had generated too much electricity from stored water between April and September and exported it when it was not needed, leaving less power available for winter than in previous years.

Michael Frank, director of the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies, rejected the criticism. He blamed the low water levels on a dry summer and said winter electricity supplies were only 3% lower than in other years. He said the more important issue for winter supply security was the long-term operation of nuclear power plants, potentially keeping existing plants running for 80 years instead of 60.

Grossen called for energy companies to disclose how much reservoir water they used to generate electricity over the summer. He also questioned their calls to lift the ban on building new nuclear plants on the grounds that Switzerland needs more winter electricity, while they sell winter power abroad during summer.

The industry says reservoir levels and electricity trading are already reported transparently. Frank argued that additional rules would be an unnecessary Swiss-specific regulatory burden that could lead to a planned economy. The dispute over reservoir levels has become part of the wider debate over nuclear power.