Overview

The project, part of Swissgrid’s Strategic Grid 2025, will establish a double connection at 220 kV over a length of approx. 66 km between All’Acqua and Magadino through the Maggia Valley, replacing the current line, which is now old and undersized. The project emerged from a joint study carried out by the Canton of Ticino, Swissgrid, AET and FFS.

Once the new power line has been built and the other projects in the region have been completed, it will be possible to remove more than 70 km of power lines, which will lessen the impact on valuable landscapes. Not only will this benefit the valuable area of Upper Ticino, but it will also increase the transport capacities of the grid at the same time and improve the transportation of energy produced in Vallemaggia, which is currently restricted.

The project is subject to the Swiss Confederation’s Transmission Lines Sectoral Plan (PSE) procedure, which coordinates the planning of projects that have significant repercussions for an area and the environment.

Ensuring a secure energy supply

The current power lines, built in the 1960s, are undersized and nearing the end of their life cycle. At certain times of the year, the hydroelectric plants in the Maggia Valley have to limit production by almost one third due to insufficient capacity on the transmission lines. Given the current energy situation, restricting renewable energy production in this way is no longer sustainable in the long term. The new power line, consisting of a double connection at 220 kV, solves capacity problems and will help to ensure a secure supply of electricity for Switzerland and Ticino in the future.

Benefits for the landscape and nature

Once the new power line has been built and the other projects in the region have been completed, it will be possible to remove more than 70 km of power lines, which will lessen the impact on valuable landscapes. Improvements are planned in the Bedretto Valley, on the Cristallina pass and in the Alpe Zaria and Campolungo areas, both of which are included in the Federal Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments. Bypassing the beech forests in the Lodano Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is another benefit of the redevelopment project.

Benefits for residents too

The impact on neighbouring villages will also be reduced given that electricity will be transported via underground cables between Cavergno and Lodano and on the slope near Riazzino, whilst pylons will no longer cross the plain between Lodano and Avegno, but will be moved to the right side of the valley. The construction of a new underground tunnel will allow the line that currently runs through the Lavizzara Valley to be dismantled. Swissgrid's future project boasts a total of more than 30 kilometres of underground lines from the All'Acqua substation to the Magadino substation. This is a record on a national scale and represents an important redevelopment for our entire Alpine region.

Next steps

Projects for the construction of new 220/380-kV extra-high-voltage lines must usually be included in the Swiss Confederation’s Transmission Lines Sectoral Plan (PSE) procedure. The sectoral plan is a federal procedure that is designed to ensure that each project is integrated into the landscape in the best possible way and meets regional planning and environmental protection requirements.

The Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), the authority that oversees and coordinates the procedure, set up a monitoring group to advise and assist it in the search for a «planning corridor», i.e. to decide on a suitable geographical area for developing the line construction project and to choose which technology to use (cable or overhead line). However, the final decision on the planning corridor and technology lies with the Federal Council. The population, municipalities and any interested associations are given the opportunity to express their opinion on the proposals of the monitoring group during the consultation procedure.

The public information and consultation procedure will start in autumn 2023, at which time the canton, municipalities, associations and private individuals will be able to comment on the corridor proposal. Once this process is complete, all the position papers will be handed over to the SFOE so that they can be examined. The PSE documents will then be supplemented and amended as necessary. The final documents will then be submitted to the Federal Council, which will decide whether to confirm the corridor and technology proposal in line with the coordination sheet. Swissgrid will then be able to identify a route for the power line and draw up the final design to be submitted to ESTI, which will initiate the planning approval procedure. During this period, any interested private parties will have the chance to express their opposition to the project.