Switzerland’s electricity system is in the midst of the greatest upheaval in its successful history. In this phase of rapid transformation, new elements such as large-scale batteries are becoming increasingly important. They enable energy to be temporarily stored and fed back into the system when required.
At the same time, there is a growing demand from industry and society for data centres, which are among the most energy-intensive consumers. Once they reach a certain power, they are connected directly to Swissgrid’s transmission grid.
Grid connection: the key issue
As a result of these developments, grid connection is now much more than just a technical issue. Swissgrid plans and expands the transmission grid based on the federal government’s scenarios. It prepares the grid for these scenarios in the Strategic Grid 2040. When new elements such as batteries and data centres are added to the grid, they must be integrated in such a way that the system operates safely, efficiently and sustainably. Current and planned capacities must be used as efficiently as possible. Furthermore, the grid must be expanded in a targeted manner.
Infrastructure that can be connected to the transmission grid
Various types of infrastructure can be connected to Swissgrid’s transmission grid, thereby playing a key role in the electricity system:
Connection capacities
InternInternationally, it is clear that demand for grid connection capacity is growing too fast for grid infrastructure to keep up with. While new generation, storage or consumption projects can often be implemented within a few years, the expansion of transmission grids takes much longer, mainly due to the necessary approval processes.
In Switzerland, too, the number of applications for connections to the transmission grid is on the rise. Data centres and battery storage systems are among the main drivers of this trend. When processing connection applications, Swissgrid assesses both the technical feasibility and the impact of integrating the requested capacity onto the relevant grid node in a non-discriminatory manner.
Connection capacities are therefore not merely a question of «available capacity» at an individual grid point. Swissgrid also analyses the impact on grid stability and transfer capacity. What is more, additional consumers have an impact on the country’s total electricity consumption. However, the grid connected party must contact their power supplier directly regarding the supply of energy – and any potential effects on the electricity price; this does not fall within Swissgrid’s area of responsibility.