There is resistance to the Federal Council’s emergency plan for the electricity industry. FDP state councilors are demanding that the rescue of systemically important companies be subject to stricter conditions.
The Council of States will decide on Thursday whether electricity companies should be rescued in the event of liquidity bottlenecks.
The fall of man happened in December last year: Because of the skyrocketing electricity prices, Alpiq asked the federal government for financial aid of over one billion francs. The power company later withdrew its request. However, the episode showed the Federal Council that a pension solution is needed to support system-critical electricity companies with loans. The Federal Council intends to provide up to CHF 10 billion in liquidity support. In return, the companies affected, Axpo, Alpiq and BKW, must fulfill transparency obligations and pay a standby fee in the millions.