Swiss ease water rules to boost hydropower capacity

The government said the impact on the environment was justifiable and proportionate to the economic benefit. It was likely to lead to a temporary restriction of fish migration that could complicate fish stocks in 2023, but would trigger irreversible effects on biodiversity, water supply or water quality only if the rule was applied in the long term.

The Swiss government will temporarily ease water use rules to let some hydropower plants boost capacity, it said on Friday, as it looks to head off power shortages this winter. The measure will take effect on Saturday and last for seven months and is expected to increase electricity production by up to 150 gigawatt hours (GWh), the cabinet said in a statement.

The regulation applies to hydroelectric power plants that received a new usage concession after 1992 and for ecological reasons discharge higher amounts of residual water than the legally required minimum. It affects around 45 of the 1,500 hydroelectric power plants in Switzerland.

The increased production capacity roughly corresponds to the annual output of an Aare River power plant, or 30% of the hydropower reserve the cabinet has ordered for this winter. The government said the impact on the environment was justifiable and proportionate to the economic benefit.

It was likely to lead to a temporary restriction of fish migration that could complicate fish stocks in 2023, but would trigger irreversible effects on biodiversity, water supply or water quality only if the rule was applied in the long term.

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