Procurement audit of the winter reserve
Bern, 04.11.2026 — In response to the threat of a winter electricity shortage, the Confederation gradually established a winter reserve from 2022 onwards. To secure this electricity reserve between 2030 and 2045, the Confederation plans to provide generation capacity from four reserve power plants at a cost of CHF 2.3 billion. Parliament is expected to consider the matter during the 2026 autumn session. The winter reserve is financed by consumers through a surcharge on electricity tariffs.
The Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO) conducted its audit at the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), the Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom) and Swissgrid. It assessed the decision-making process for determining the need for the electricity reserve, the economic efficiency of the selection and sizing of the individual reserve types, and the procurement process for the new reserve power plants. Overall, the procurement of reserve capacity was economically efficient. However, significant savings potential remained untapped in the selection and sizing of the individual reserve types.