Editorial

Swissgrid is ready for the energy future

Adrian Bult, Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Yves Zumwald, CEO

Dear readers,

The transformation of the electricity system is progressing rapidly. Decentralisation, decarbonisation and digitalisation are not only fundamentally changing where and when electricity is generated and consumed, but are also placing increasing demands on its storage and transmission.

Ensuring secure and stable grid operation is becoming increasingly challenging. What is more, complex, lengthy approval processes are holding up urgently needed grid expansion projects – to a greater extent than the transformation of the energy system can tolerate. Within the space of a few years, photovoltaic generation has risen to a level that poses major challenges for the balance groups in forecasting energy generation. Discrepancies between their forecasts and the real-time situation make the operation of the transmission grid more difficult and more expensive.

A robust grid infrastructure is the basis for a reliable supply of electricity. The transmission grid will only remain the strong backbone of Switzerland’s energy supply if it is developed with foresight and expanded in good time. Switzerland’s security of supply depends to a large extent on whether grid operations, market mechanisms and national and international cooperation can keep pace with the speed of change. An electricity agreement with the European Union is a key factor in ensuring Switzerland’s long-term security of supply.

Swissgrid continued to play an active role in shaping the energy future during the 2025 financial year. The transmission grid achieved 100% availability – as a result of forward-thinking planning, operational excellence and continuous innovation. We have set out how we intend to develop our grid in a targeted manner over the coming years in the Strategic Grid 2040. We once again reached significant milestones in various projects for expanding and modernising our infrastructure in 2025, and took steps to ensure that approval processes would be speeded up.

Swissgrid has made significant progress in integrating solar power generation, while close collaboration with industry partners has led to improved production forecasts for solar energy. Swissgrid has also implemented innovative solutions to reduce the amount of control energy required. The AI-assisted «Optimizer Autopilot» for control energy has already allowed tens of millions of francs to be saved. At the same time, we are continuing to develop the Swiss control energy market and opening it up to new players and technologies. This will not happen overnight, but our experts are doing their utmost to ensure that the market is ready for the energy future as rapidly as possible.

Sustainability remained an integral part of our corporate strategy in 2025. We are already well on the way to meeting our targets for direct emissions. In the 2025 financial year, we defined additional climate targets for Scope 3 and adopted a decarbonisation plan. In this way, we are taking responsibility throughout the value chain. Progress in sustainability management is reflected in improved sustainability ratings, which in turn boost the company’s appeal to investors.

The grid availability rate of 100% underscores the stability and efficiency of our infrastructure. The further development of the transmission grid and the optimisation of the control energy market will strengthen Switzerland’s security of supply in the long term. By pursuing a clear strategy, developing innovative solutions and building strong partnerships, we are helping to guarantee a secure supply of electricity for Switzerland at the lowest possible cost to society and the economy – both now and in the future.

We would like to say a special thank you to Swissgrid’s 980 employees. They work with great dedication, a high level of expertise and real passion day in, day out to make the operation of the transmission grid even more reliable and secure. Their dedication is the foundation for our success.

Adrian Bult

Chairman of the
Board of Directors

Yves Zumwald

CEO