Electricity is rarely produced where it is consumed. The ultra-high voltage grid enables electricity to be transported from the power station to consumption centre – i.e. Swiss households and industry – with the lowest possible loss of energy.

The Swiss ultra-high voltage grid also ensures the exchange of energy within the European ENTSO-E grid as stipulated by international agreements. Trading in electricity with our neighbouring countries is strategically important for Switzerland, since exporting our surplus peak load energy enables us to import base load energy which can be used to cover part of our basic service mandate.

The Swiss ultra-high voltage grid consists of 4,916 kilometers of 220-kV lines and 1,780 kilometres of 380-kV lines, and is regarded by the government as strategically important for our country's energy supplies.