# Swiss brace for rolling four-hour blackouts in any energy crunch
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-07-20
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Switzerland Prepares for Potential Winter Power Shortages
Meta Description: Learn about Switzerland's plan for potential power shortages and how they aim to conserve energy through voluntary measures and controlled blackouts.
URL: https://financedigest.com/swiss-brace-for-rolling-four-hour-blackouts-in-any-energy-crunchhtml

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ZURICH (Reuters) -Switzerland could resort to rolling four-hour regional blackouts should Europe’s energy crisis lead to winter power shortages, a senior utility sector official said on Wednesday.

The country is bracing for shortages of power and gas due to the war in Ukraine, possible interruptions in gas supplies, and the situation at nuclear power plants in France, although energy supplies were secure for now, officials said.

Michael Frank, director of the VSE association of Swiss electricity companies, said Switzerland planned to phase in increasingly strict measures to conserve power if needed.

First the government would request voluntary conservation [steps — a public awareness campaign was coming next](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-leaders-to-discuss-next-steps-on-energy-ukraine.html "EU leaders to discuss next steps on energy, Ukraine") month — then it could curb non-essential uses like illuminating shop windows, using mobile heaters, or lighting at night, he told a government news briefing in Bern.

Next it could order around 30,000 companies to [save up to 30% of power](https://www.financedigest.com/lights-off-heat-down-central-europe-governments-save-power-to-set-example.html "Lights off, heat down: central Europe governments save power to set example") usage in an extreme scenario. He estimated those first three phases could [cut power](https://www.financedigest.com/france-strains-to-avert-power-cuts-as-cold-snap-tests-europes-energy-resolve.html "France strains to avert power cuts as cold snap tests Europe’s energy resolve") demand by 25-30%.

As a [last resort Bern could shut parts of the power](https://www.financedigest.com/lasting-powers-of-attorney-your-clients-questions-answered.html "Lasting Powers of Attorney – your client’s questions answered") network.

“You have to imagine this as a puzzle. Individual segments would be removed for four hours, then [turned back](https://www.financedigest.com/back-to-the-land-lebanese-family-turns-to-farming-to-survive-crises.html "Back to the land: Lebanese family turns to farming to survive crises") on while others are removed. Some parts of the [network — the pieces of the puzzle — would have no power](https://www.financedigest.com/trunomi-joins-forces-with-shyft-network-to-to-launch-fully-interoperable-global-e-id-framework-and-power-global-id-and-kyc.html "Trunomi joins forces with Shyft Network to to launch fully interoperable Global e-ID framework and power Global ID and KYC") for four hours, then have power again for four or eight hours again depending on the situation,” he said.

Switzerland chose a rationing [approach because it wants to avoid going directly to complete network](https://www.financedigest.com/protecting-the-enterprise-network-a-people-centric-approach.html "Protecting the Enterprise Network: a People-Centric Approach") shutdowns, as France envisions, he added.

All eyes were on whether Russian gas would keep flowing to western Europe, from where Switzerland gets its supplies, especially after maintenance work on the [Nord Stream](https://www.financedigest.com/denmark-invites-nord-stream-operator-to-help-salvage-unidentified-object.html "Denmark invites Nord Stream operator to help salvage unidentified object") 1 pipeline scheduled until Thursday.

[(Reporting by Michael Shields](https://www.financedigest.com/asia-pacific-region-to-lead-the-global-static-shielding-bags-market-fact-mr-report.html "Asia Pacific Region to Lead the Global Static Shielding Bags Market: Fact.MR Report"), editing by Silke Koltrowitz)


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