Politics · Switzerland · 6 hrs ago
Swiss hydropower projects expected to deliver less winter electricity
A Swiss government review found major problems with plans to expand hydropower across the country.
The plans covered 16 projects agreed by the energy industry and other groups, and approved by voters in June 2024.
The review says industry estimates were overstated and officials accepted them without enough scrutiny.
Expected extra winter electricity has fallen from 2,031 to 1,248 gigawatt-hours, as nine projects face major cuts or delays.
The largest project, near the Gorner Glacier by Zermatt, is now estimated to provide 419 gigawatt-hours from 2040, rather than 650.
Energy Minister Albert Rösti’s team has assessed 23 possible replacement projects, but the list has not been made public.
The review group recommends pursuing some controversial dam proposals and dropping nine others, while the replacement plans remain confidential.
A Swiss federal analysis estimates that planned hydropower projects will provide 1,248 gigawatt-hours of additional winter electricity, down from the planned 2,031 gigawatt-hours.
Nine projects need major reductions or face delays, while others are expected to deliver less than planned.
The analysis says more than a third of the dams and expansions cannot be built as proposed.
The largest project, at the Gorner Glacier near Zermatt, is now estimated to have a potential of 419 gigawatt-hours from 2040, down from 650.
A separate list of 23 replacement projects has been assessed but remains confidential.
- Who
- The Swiss Federal Office of Energy and a technical working group appointed by Energy Minister Albert Rösti assessed the projects.
- What
- A federal analysis lowered the estimated additional winter electricity potential from planned hydropower projects to 1,248 gigawatt-hours from 2,031.
- When
- The report was described in an article published on 23 October 2026. The projects were intended to deliver winter electricity within 14 years.
- Where
- The projects are in Switzerland, including sites at the Gorner Glacier near Zermatt and the Marmorerasee.
- Why
- Project estimates were revised because of delays, feasibility problems and errors in earlier calculations.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Switzerland approved the electricity law, which included 16 projects from the hydropower round table, with almost 70 percent voting in favour.
Energy Minister Albert Rösti asked the Federal Office of Energy to identify replacement projects.
Rösti had said he would present new dam projects, but the article says no announcement followed.
Watson reported the federal analysis’s reduced estimate of additional winter electricity potential.
- Revised winter electricity potential
- 1,248 GWh, down from 2,031 GWh
- Projects in original plan
- 16
- Projects requiring major reductions or facing delays
- 9
- Gorner Glacier project
- 419 GWh potential from 2040, down from 650 GWh
- Replacement-project list
- 23 proposals
What people are saying
No preliminary investigation available
Costs tripled
new storage reservoir cannot be used sensibly