Energy In principle, extra-high-voltage lines should hang in the air
High-voltage or extra-high-voltage lines with 220 kilovolts or more should always be suspended in the air in Switzerland. The National Council wants to enshrine this principle in the Electricity Act to speed up the expansion and conversion of the electricity grids.
18.12.2025, 10:28
SDA
On Thursday, it approved a corresponding proposal by its Committee for the Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy (Urek-N). However, the Urek-N provides for exceptions to the overhead line principle: An underground line should be possible if this is cheaper, is necessary for technical reasons or is required to protect protected moors.
The Federal Council had also wanted to include an overhead line principle in the decree when revising the Energy Act. However, it decided against this after the majority of the cantons and all environmental protection and heritage organizations had spoken out against it during the consultation process.
The Council of States now has to deal with the bill.
