Swissgrid is to assume ownership of the 6,700 kilometre-long Swiss transmission system no later than 1 January 2013, as envisaged by the Electricity Supply Act (StromVG), which entered into force on 1 January 2008.
Swissgrid and the current transmission system owners (TSOWs) started to address this extremely complex transaction in August 2010. All participants have set themselves three overarching objectives:
- To ensure that all the current transmission system operators are treated equally.
- To ensure that operational, technical and financial transactions are implemented in a trouble-free and timely fashion.
- That participants ensure a smooth transfer of assets.
Pierre-Alain Graf, the CEO of Swissgrid, is the overall project manager. A steering committee, made up of representatives of Swissgrid and the transmission system owners, will monitor the progress of the project. The organisational chart shows the project's overall organisation.
The process is being addressed by means of five subprojects, in which Swissgrid employees work alongside representatives of the transmission system owners:
- Contracts
- Due dilligence
- Financing/assessment
- Communication
- Prevention of interruptions / secure operation / integration
Asset management division to be expanded
Swissgrid will simultaneously expand the asset management division. Swissgrid will manage the facilities and power lines efficiently and renovate and extend the transmission system. To this end, the asset management and service division is to be expanded – a modern, forward-looking organisation that will take care of the management of strategic assets, projects and operational facilities.