The Swiss Union of Arts and Crafts (usam) presented its proposals on Monday to curb the electricity crisis. They include in particular the removal of administrative obstacles and the possibility for companies to return to basic supply.
‘I am very worried. In fact, I am alarmed’, declared the president of the usam and national councilor Fabio Regazzi (Center / TI) in front of the media in Bern, according to the press release from the umbrella organization. For many companies, the price spike is “unbearable and threatens their very existence”, he continued. And to demand that ‘the administrative obstacles fall’.
The usam has brought together its demands and proposals for action in motions that will be tabled during the fall session which begins on Monday.
Concretely, the usam asks that the construction of small installations of all sustainable technologies at the household level can be done without authorization and this, in all the zones of planning of the territory.
The SME umbrella organization also demands that announced major water and wind energy projects can no longer be the subject of an opposition procedure until the development objectives of the energy strategy have been achieved.
Back to basic supply
Another USAM requirement is that companies operating on the so-called free electricity market can return to basic supply, under certain conditions. In particular, companies should observe a notice period of one year. Once in the basic supply, they would have to stay there for at least three years or pay a 10% penalty on the energy part.
The president of Gastrosuisse Casimir Platzer substantiated these claims with two concrete examples. One concerns a mountain hotel which until now had annual electricity costs of around 5,000 francs. The first offer that his electricity supplier made to him for a new five-year contract would have increased his electricity costs to 162,000 francs. A second offer, revised downwards, still involves annual costs of more than 81,000, an increase of 1600%.
Savings plans by branch
Faced with a potential electricity shortage, the usam proposes “an additional degree of escalation” between voluntary savings and management measures which would be decided by the Federal Council and might lead to the prohibition of certain activities.
In this intermediate phase, the value chains and branches would enter into energy saving agreements with the country’s economic supply. The companies and branches would then draw up their own plans for implementing the agreements, explained the director of the usam Hans-Ulrich Bigler. And to add that ‘the Federal Council has indicated that it is ready to consider our proposal’.
In August, USAM wrote twice to Energy Minister Guy Parmelin to inform him of its concerns and its proposals. The second missive was also addressed to Energy Minister Simonetta Sommaruga.
/ATS
