Nine out of ten BKW customers relied solely on renewable energy since the beginning of this year

BERN, 25-Aug-2016 — /EuropaWire/ — Nine out of ten BKW customers have been relying solely on renewable energy for their electricity needs since the beginning of this year. This has helped strengthen the position of hydroelectric power – a domestic renewable energy source – for the long term. Energy prices and grid usage tariffs will remain the same over the coming year. Legal duties (KEV) will once again rise slightly, while the cost of Swissgrid’s system services will fall.

A year ago, BKW made its mark on renewable energy production with the launch of its new electricity products. Since the beginning of this year, the overwhelming majority of BKW customers have been using 100% renewable energy from Swiss hydroelectric plants.

Energy prices and grid usage tariffs will remain the same in 2017. The slight rise in the levy for the compensatory feed-in remuneration (KEV) mandated by the Federal Council means that legal duties will rise from 1.3 to 1.5 centimes/kWh. Although the levy for the national grid company Swissgrid will fall by 0.05 to 0.4 centimes/kWh, this will only partially offset the increase in legal duties. Electricity price rises for customers will therefore be minimal and will vary from customer to customer. For example, for a four-room apartment with an electric stove and an annual energy consumption of 2,500 kWh, prices would increase by 30 centimes per month (ElCom consumption category H2*). For a four-room apartment with an electric stove, electric boiler and an annual energy consumption of 4,500 kWh, prices would increase by around 55 centimes per month (ElCom consumption category H4*).

Further information about BKW’s electricity products can be found at www.bkw.ch/blue

* ElCom’s consumption categories represent only model values. Actual energy consumption depends on the customer’s technical installations and energy efficiency measures.

Federal Supreme Court decision of 20 July 2016 on the calculation of chargeable energy costs and the impact on BKW:

After reviewing the decision, BKW anticipates that it will not have any significant impact on the pricing policy for its customers.

BKW Ltd.
media(at)bkw.ch
+41 (0)58 477 51 07

SOURCE: BKW