History

The backbone for a secure electricity supply

Swissgrid was founded in 2006 in response to the gradual liberalisation of the Swiss electricity market. Since 2008, the Electricity Supply Act has stipulated that the transmission grid must be owned by the national grid company.

As the national grid company, Swissgrid has been responsible for the operation, safety and expansion of the 6,700 km-long extra-high-voltage grid since 2009. Swissgrid took over the grid in 2013, which represented an important milestone on the path towards electricity market liberalisation.

Swissgrid employs more than 800 highly qualified people from 39 countries at its sites in Aarau and Prilly as well as in its regional offices in Castione, Landquart, Laufenburg, Ostermundigen and Uznach. As a member of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E), Swissgrid also supports the coordination and grid utilisation activities in the European exchange of electricity.

Swissgrid is playing a key role in the energy reform that is currently taking place. The company works together with the energy sector, business, politics and the population to develop solutions to expand the Swiss transmission grid sustainably and efficiently.

Milestones

2000Foundation of ETRANS
2006Swissgrid launches its business operations
2008Electricity Supply Act enters into force
2009Swissgrid takes over the grid operation
2010Swissgrid commences activities in French-speaking Switzerland
2013Swissgrid takes ownership of the transmission grid
2014Swissgrid participates in the European power exchange EPEX Spot
2015Swissgrid opens a second control centre in Prilly, near Lausanne
2018Swissgrid acquires its new site in Aarau

  • Star of Laufenburg

    With the commissioning of the switching substation known as the «Star of Laufenburg», the European electricity grid is born.

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  • Contact

    Do you have questions or suggestions – or would you like to report a fault? Then you have come to the right place.

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Contact

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