The Confederation interrupts the call for tenders for new reserve power plants. The proposed prices are too high, the Federal Office of Energy said on Tuesday. The latter wants to negotiate directly with service providers with a view to an over-the-counter award.
The contracts for the existing reserve power plants in Birr (AG), Cornaux (NE) and Monthey (VS) expire at the end of spring 2026.
With the aim of having new reserve power plants with a power of 400 megawatts under contract from 2026, the Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) launched a public call for tenders, which took place from July 2023 to last March.
The SFOE received five offers for a total power of 591 megawatts. But the prices offered were too high, according to the office, which put an end to the procedure.
Hope to lower costs
Instead, he wants to negotiate directly with project managers, with the aim of lowering costs and improving feasibility over time. “To guarantee the principle of equal treatment, interviews are carried out with all project managers. New service providers are also taken into consideration,” assures the SFOE.
The Federal Council set up these reserve power plants in 2022, after the start of the war in Ukraine, in order to respond to the risk of an electricity shortage.
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