The case
“We have reached deadlock” – Alpiq’s CEO has warned of exploding electricity prices and the erosion of Switzerland as a business location. Are they just being alarmist?
Source: NZZ-Standpunkte (in German)
The commentary
“Time is of essence”, says Antje Kanngiesser, CEO of Alpiq. Switzerland has not been able to come up with an affordable solution to the growing demand for energy. “We are very spoilt in Europe, especially in Switzerland; we have always had electricity at our fingertips.” explained Kanngiesser. “Hardly any other country in the world has had fewer power cuts”. She went on to point out that production will have to be doubled by 2050, so reliability of supply will have to be a top priority. The most recent energy crisis has shown how grave and costly the consequences for both our daily life and the industry would be should there not be enough energy available. Kannengiesser went on to highlight that the discussion about the Electricity Act is as imperative as the debate about extending operating times for existing nuclear power plants and the renewed discussion about lifting the ban on nuclear power.