Luca Baroni, Head of Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer of Swissgrid, will be leaving the company at the end of 2016 to become the new Head of Finances at BLS AG.

He is therefore the successor to Yves Zumwald, who was named CEO in March 2016.

On 12 May 2016, following a request from Swissgrid, the Swiss Federal Administrative Court (FAC) lifted the suspensive effect applying to construction of the connection of the Chandoline substation to the 220 kV overhead line between Chamoson and Chippis.

The Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations (ESTI) has granted the construction plans for last section of the 380 kV Châtelard – La Bâtiaz overhead line, from pylon 127 to the La Bâtiaz station, and the replacement of the substation of La Bâtiaz.

The line will be upgraded to 2 x 380 kV by means of an additional line covering a length of 49 kilometres, which will eliminate grid congestion.

Andreas Rickenbacher now holds the office of the canton’s representative on the Board of Directors.

The TV programme 10vor10 (SRF) broadcast a report on the Nant de Drance pump storage power plant and the expansion of the extra-high-voltage in Valais on Tuesday, 26 April.

In February and March 2016, the Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations (ESTI) granted the building permits for phase two of the renovation work at the Romanel station.

Thanks to further consolidation of our operational activities and the careful management of the transmission system along with the associated market activities, we were able to further increase our efficiency.

The average financial burden on electricity consumers due to the transmission grid operated by Swissgrid will fall slightly in 2017.