Electricity Act Criticism of priority given to overhead power lines in the revision of the law

Procedures for the expansion and conversion of electricity transmission grids are to be accelerated. This was unanimously welcomed in the consultation on the revision of the Electricity Act. The planned prioritization of overhead lines in particular has been met with criticism.

The consultation, which ended on Thursday, aims to make the procedures for expanding and converting the electricity transmission grids more efficient. Among other things, the Federal Council's proposal stipulates that an overhead line principle should apply to the transmission grid in future.

In the consultation process, political parties, the electricity industry and environmental and cultural protection associations supported the fundamental need to speed up the procedures. However, the Greens, SP, GLP, the Environmental Alliance and the Working Group for the Mountain Region reject the proposed obligation for overhead lines with only a few exceptions.

The Greens, SP and Environmental Alliance criticize the fact that the national interest in the extra-high-voltage grid fundamentally takes precedence over other national interests, such as the protection of biodiversity.

SDA