Power for Switzerland and Europe - day and night
Laufenburg (ots)
swissgrid will commence operations as the Swiss national transmission system operator on 15 December 2006. Its motto: "moving power". The company is to take on overall responsibility for the operation of the Swiss extra high-voltage grid and will make a hugely important contribution to power supply in Switzerland. swissgrid is being formed because of the forward-looking attitude of the Swiss grid companies.
As the Swiss transmission system operator, swissgrid will manage the entire 6 700 kilometre extra high-voltage grid safely and reliably and will be the sole point of contact for the operation of that grid. In this role, it will make a substantial contribution to strengthening the electricity hub in the heart of Europe and securing power supplies in Switzerland. As a member of the European UCTE system and of the European Transmission System Operators' organization (ETSO), it will perform important tasks in exchanges of energy within Europe. For example, it will play a leading role in extra high-voltage grids in Europe with modern tools for the development, automation and application of early recognition and monitoring systems. The formation of swissgrid, unencumbered by statutory regulation, is unique throughout Europe and is a voluntary step towards the European electricity market by the Swiss grid companies. This will strengthen the position of the Swiss electricity industry as a European hub.
New Board of Directors
At the first, constitutive General Meeting of Shareholders on 14 December 2006, Konrad Peter, who holds positions as the chairman or member of a number of Boards of Directors, was elected independent Chairman of the Board of Directors. Hans E. Schweickardt, CEO of EOS Holding, was elected Vice-Chairman. Further independent members elected to the Board of Directors were Adrian Bult, CEO of Swisscom Mobile Ltd and member of the Executive Board of Swisscom Ltd, and Conrad Wyder, Director, Senior Delivery Project Executive, IBM Switzerland. State Council member Thomas Burgener, head of the Department of Health, Social Affairs and Energy of the Canton of Wallis, and Fadri Ramming, managing director of the Conference of Energy Directors (EnDK), will hold seats on the Board as cantonal representatives. The following representatives of the shareholding companies were also elected to the Board of Directors: Giovanni Leonardi, Herbert Niklaus (both of Atel), Heinz Karrer, Dr. Hans Schulz (both of Axpo), Kurt Rohrbach (BKW), Dr. Andrew Walo (CKW), Emanuel Höhener (EGL), Dr. Conrad Ammann (EWZ).
Operational management
swissgrid will be taking on most of the previous tasks of grid coordinator ETRANS, and will now have further-reaching powers as the transmission system operator. The Executive Board, under the leadership of Hans-Peter Aebi, will be composed of the same members as at ETRANS.
moving power - swissgrid is the national transmission system operator. In its capacity as transmission grid operator, it ensures the secure, reliable and cost-effective operation of the Swiss extra high-voltage grid. Headquartered in Laufenburg, swissgrid employs approximately 130 highly qualified employees. As a member of the Union for the Coordination of Transmission of Electricity (UCTE) and the European Transmission System Operators (ETSO), it is also responsible for grid monitoring and grid usage with regard to European electricity exchange. swissgrid is wholly owned by the seven Swiss grid companies Atel, BKW, CKW, EGL, EOS, EWZ and NOK.
Contact:
swissgrid Media Service
Monika Walser
Werkstrasse 12
5080 Laufenburg
Tel.: +41/58/580'24'00
Fax: +41/58/580'24'94
E-Mail: media@swissgrid.ch
Internet: www.swissgrid.ch