MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –
Source: Switzerland – Department of Foreign Affairs in French
Federal Office of Energy
Bern, 04.18.2024 – In 2023, electricity consumption in Switzerland stood at 56.1 billion kilowatt hours (kWh), showing a decrease compared to the previous year (-1.7%). National production (after deducting the consumption of storage pumps) reached 66.7 billion kWh. The physical export balance amounted to 6.4 billion kWh.
In 2023, national consumption amounted to 60.3 billion kWh. After deducting losses linked to transmission and distribution of 4.2 billion kWh, this results in a final electricity consumption of 56.1 billion kWh, which represents a drop of 1.7% or 1.0 billion kWh (i.e. approximately the annual consumption of 200,000 households) compared to 2022 (57.0 billion kWh). The change compared to the previous year was -3.8% in the first quarter, -2.5% in the second quarter, -1.9% in the third quarter and 1.5% in the fourth quarter.
The annual ex post analyzes of energy consumption will provide further information on the determining factors for the evolution of electricity consumption (publication in October 2024). In 2023, the economic situation, demographic developments and weather conditions have caused consumption to increase.
Economic situation: according to the first provisional figures, gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.7% in 2023 (not adjusted for sporting events; source: State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, SECO). Demographic development: according to provisional figures from April 4, 2024 from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), the population of Switzerland increased by 1.26% in 2023. Weather conditions: compared to the previous year, the heating degree days increased by 1.8% in 2023 (see attached table). As heating represents around 10% of electricity consumption in Switzerland, this development has increased electricity consumption somewhat.
Electricity production in Switzerland in 2023
Electricity production (national production) increased by 13.5% in 2023, reaching a new record value of 72.1 billion kWh (63.5 billion kWh in 2022). After deduction of 5.4 billion kWh for the consumption of storage pumps, the result is a net production of 66.7 billion kWh. Compared to the values recorded the previous year, those of 2023 were higher for all quarters (9.8%; 7.4%; 17.6%; 18.7%).
Hydroelectric installations (run-of-river power plants and storage power plants) produced 21.7% more electricity than the previous year (run-of-river power plants: 12.9%, storage power plants: 29.3%). The 40.8 billion kWh thus produced represents the highest result of these installations after the record reached in 2001 (42.3 billion kWh).
Electricity production from Switzerland’s four nuclear power plants increased by 1.0% to 23.3 billion kWh (23.1 billion kWh in 2022). In 2023, the availability of the Swiss nuclear fleet reached 90.0% (89.5% in 2022).
Hydroelectric power plants provided 56.6% of total electricity production (run-of-river power plants: 24.3%, storage power plants: 32.3%), nuclear power plants 32.4%, conventional thermal and renewable installations 11.0%.
Export balance in 2023
With physical imports of 27.5 billion kWh and physical exports of 33.9 billion kWh, the export balance amounted to 6.4 billion kWh in 2023 (import balance of 3.4 billion kWh in 2022). In the first and fourth quarters (winter quarters), Switzerland’s imports showed a balance of 0.6 billion kWh (5.6 billion kWh in 2022). In the second and third quarters, its export balance amounted to 7.0 billion kWh (2.2 billion kWh in 2022).
According to the Federal Office of Customs and Border Security (OFDF), revenues from commercial electricity exports reached 4,678 million francs (11.64 ct./kWh), for commercial import expenses of 3702 million francs (10.71 cents/kWh). Switzerland therefore recorded a positive foreign trade balance of 976 million francs in 2023 (positive foreign trade balance of 71 million francs in 2022) [source: OFDF/Swiss-Impex; status as of April 2, 2024]. It should be noted that prices have decreased by more than 50% compared to the previous year (they are now at a level comparable to that of 2021).
Address for sending questions
Information: SFOE press service, tel. 058 460 81 52
Author
Federal Office of Energyhttp://www.bfe.admin.ch
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
