Reserve power plants

Reserve power plants can provide high electrical output and supply energy without interruption for long periods. While hydropower reserves merely store energy in reservoirs, reserve power plants feed additional energy into the electricity grid. The contracts for the three reserve power stations – Birr, Cornaux and Monthey – which were contracted under the Winter Reserve Ordinance, were due to expire in May 2026. The SFOE therefore issued a call for tenders and subsequently conducted direct negotiations to contract new reserve power plants. In May 2025, the Federal Council awarded contracts to five projects with a combined capacity of 583MW. All five projects will be powered using CO2-neutral fuel. The new reserve power plants will be available from 2030 at the earliest. As an interim solution, the existing reserve power stations in Monthey (VS) and, for a limited period, Cornaux (NE) – with a combined capacity of 86MW – will continue to operate. In addition, a contract was signed for the 50MW Forsthaus power plant (City of Bern). As the main pillar of the interim solution, Ansaldo Energia’s gas turbine test facility in Birr (AG) is set to be available from February 2027 as a reserve power plant with a capacity of 250MW.