Energy Minister Simonetta Sommaruga told the newspaper SonntagsBlick that Switzerland might avoid an energy shortfall by following a European Union plan to reduce gas use by 15% in winter.
On Friday, European Union countries formally endorsed the bloc’s emergency plan to reduce gas use in order to stockpile fuel for a winter with unclear Russian supplies.
‘The situation is serious,’ Sommaruga told the Sunday newspaper, adding that a request from Switzerland’s electrical authority to store up on candles in case of blackouts this winter was ‘a wake-up call for everyone.’
In late June, the Swiss government detailed plans to solve a possible natural gas shortfall this winter, including the possibility of rationing if other efforts fail.
Landlocked Switzerland obtains its gas through trading centres in neighbouring EU countries, and gas accounts for approximately 15% of its overall energy consumption. According to government data, approximately 42% of gas is utilised to heat homes, with the remainder used in manufacturing, service, and transportation sectors.
When asked if Switzerland should meet the EU’s agreement for all nations in the bloc to reduce their gas consumption by 15% in winter, Sommaruga responded: ‘That makes a lot of sense. The Federal Council will make the final decision.’
She also stated that the government will launch a campaign in the following weeks, and that she would urge for the heating in public buildings to be turned down.
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