Infrastructure is a key criterion for Switzerland's status as a centre of business. In the competition for business locations, our national economy should safeguard and strengthen the unique advantages of its extensive, high-quality infrastructures. This also includes a reliable, ecological, affordable supply of electricity that can be adjusted in good time to meet rising demand. It is therefore essential for the Confederation and cantons to create the appropriate boundary conditions. Electricity is a key factor in the Switzerland's national economy. Energy security can only be guaranteed if electricity infrastructures are able to function and interact seamlessly.
Electricity infrastructures must be expanded to meet the growing demand for electricity by the population and the economy. The economy is dependent on the uninterrupted supply of affordable electricity even as demand grows. This calls for the Confederation and cantons to provide legal security and non-restrictive boundary conditions supported by rapid administrative and judicial procedures.
Electricity infrastructures are highly capital-intensive and exhibit above-average productivity (added value per job). In other sectors of industry, too, investments in infrastructures trigger an important multiplicator effect. Electricity and gas are just as important as roads and rail networks in terms of direct and indirect procurement and added value. Electricity infrastructures provide the basis for our country's economic development.
The transmission grid is in good condition. The fact that power lines are still in operation beyond their scheduled lifecycles attests to their excellent state of repair. The urgent need to expand the grid is primarily the result of the politically-sanctioned move towards market liberalisation and free trade.
It is essential that Switzerland addresses the problem of grid congestion. Accordingly, major emphasis must be placed on the implementation of the Transmission line plan and a plan of action must be defined. Moreover, upgrades must also cover medium- and low-voltage grids and include work to expand the electricity infrastructure, so as to guarantee the nation-wide provision of electricity. This also covers improvements in overall energy efficiency and the construction of smart grids. But installing such grids presupposes that the costs for grid upgrades and setting up new grid management systems as well as the installation of smart meters will be added to grid usage charges???.
One of the main characteristics of the electricity sector is the Europe-wide spread of faults and the negligible storage capacity for energy. Due to intensive international trading activities, electricity grids are increasingly suffering from critical overload. The reason for such congestion is not only electricity trading, but also the fact that demand outstrips supply in Switzerland during the winter, necessitating electricity imports which lead to price differentials at the borders. A rapid solution to this problem must be found, and an up-to-date grid architecture introduced. Moreover, Swiss grids must be systematically expanded and driven forward in coordination with the EU.
