Public Utilities and Transport of the City of Zurich
We produce electricity with our own hydropower, wind and solar plants as well as investments in domestic and foreign power plants.
We tackle projects with intelligent energy solutions, energy efficiency consulting and grid services.
We manage power production and organize certificates of origin, complementing our activities in power and certificate trading, the use of power plants, balance groups, and research and risk management.
We work hard on the planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of grids and installations in Zurich, central Grisons and Bergell. We also operate and maintain public lighting and clocks in the city of Zurich.
We operate the urban fibre-optic network and offer innovative communications solutions for companies and municipal organizations.
Energy Year 2019
- By an 87.7-per cent majority, the electorate in the city of Zurich votes in favour of the Altstetten and Höngg energy network. The sustainable energy network uses purified waste water from the Werdhölzli sewage treatment plant and waste heat from the sludge recycling facility as an energy source for the heating and cooling of properties.
- ewz presents the first public drone show in Switzerland at Züri Fäscht 2019. The 150 drones hover above Lake Zurich powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity.
- EcoVadis awards gold to ewz for the fourth time in a row for its sustainability management. The score of 72 points out 100 puts ewz in the top 5 per cent of all 55,000 companies evaluated worldwide.
- With 270,000 connections – 53,000 more than were originally planned in 2012 – the city of Zurich’s comprehensive, non-discriminatory fibre-optic network is completed on time and within the budgeted 400 million Swiss francs’ credit in late 2019.
Energy Year 2018
- ewz purchases the Graincourt wind farm in France, which comprises four wind turbines with a total output of 12 megawatts.
- Zurich Public Transport (VBZ) tests free, public Wi-Fi at all public transport stops based on ewz’s fibre-optic network and long-range wide-area wireless network (‘LoRaWAN’).
- ewz subsidiary SunTechnics Fabrisolar AG wins the solar award for planning and constructing the solar power plant on the Geneva headquarters of watchmaker Vacheron Constantin.
- The 2018 Swiss Federal Office of Energy benchmarking study: ewz takes first place for heat and second place for electricity. According to the BFE study, ewz best meets the overriding objectives of the Energy Strategy 2050 and SwissEnergy.
Energy Year 2017
- ewz focuses on energy solutions and takes over the solar technology pioneer SunTechnics Fabrisolar AG.
- ewz invests in a wind farm in the German Bight. With an output of around 200 megawatts, Trianel Windpark Borkum II comprises 32 wind turbines and is located around 45 kilometres north-west of the island of Borkum.
- 3 August 2017 – 125 years of ewz: During this period, ewz made hydroelectric power usable for power supply in Zurich and implemented ground-breaking infrastructure projects, and – as a provider of innovative energy and communications solutions – will continue as a key influence on the energy industry going forward.
- Commissioning of the Gattikon heating network: heating with local, renewable wood energy
Energy Year 2016
- In the latest benchmarking study conducted by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, ewz takes first place and is very close to its goal of being the ideal supplier of energy. Zurich is also number one for energy supply in the ‘Sustainable Cities Index 2016’.
Energy Year 2015
- In the latest benchmarking study conducted by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, ewz takes first place and is very close to its goal of being the ideal supplier of energy. Zurich also comes in first for energy supply in the Sustainable Cities Index 2015.
- Installation of the largest battery storage system in Switzerland, in Zurich-Affoltern. Fluctuating solar power production is timed to match changes in electricity requirements.
- ewz launches ewz.meinsolar and installs rooftop photovoltaic systems for private homeowners.
- The Castasegna hydropower plant located in Bergell is now naturemade star-certified. With 100 MW output, it is Switzerland’s largest green electricity power plant.
- A new ewz substation in Zurich-Oerlikon installs SF6-free switchgears – a world first.
- ewz makes its first offshore investment in the Butendiek wind farm. The total output is 288 MW. ewz acquires a 4.9-per cent share.
Energy Year 2014
- ewz.solarzüri allows tenants to invest in solar plants.
Energy Years from 2010
2013
- ewz acquires the Epinette wind farm in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. It is the first wind farm that ewz operates as a developer.
- A turbine in the Høg-Jæren wind farm, in which ewz has a share, wins first place in the Norwegian ‘Wind Warrior of the Year’ awards.
- ewz is the first Swiss company to acquire shares in Butendiek offshore wind farm.
2012
- In Spain, the world’s first commercial solar thermal power plant goes online. The Puerto Errado 2 plant in the region of Murcia comprises 376,000 solar mirrors; ewz is a member of the consortium.
2011
- Commissioning of the new Nandrò hydroelectric plant in the Grisons.
2010
- ewz acquires shares in the Høg-Jæren wind farm near Stavanger, Norway.
2009
- Voters approve a new credit facility of 200 million Swiss francs, allowing ewz to invest in wind energy (through construction or acquisition).
2008
- naturemade star-certification of ewz’s Wettingen power plant after comprehensive renovation work.
- On 11 November 2008, the electorate of the city of Zurich votes by a large majority to enshrine the goal of the 2000-watt society in the city’s municipal code.
2007
- Voters in the city of Zurich mandate ewz to build and operate a modern, fibre-optic based broadband network.
2005
- Zurich’s City Parliament approves ewz’s bid to join the independent national transmission grid company Swissgrid AG.
2004
- The city of Zurich’s Plan Lumière is a success, with the city’s night-time image benefiting from the subtle lighting concept, which also serves as a role model for other cities.
2003
- The electorate of the city of Zurich approves a credit facility of 75 million Swiss francs for the new Energy Services business field.
2000
- ewz’s Höngg hydropower plant is the first power plant in Switzerland to become naturemade star-certified.
1998
- The ewz solar power exchange receives the Swiss and European solar awards.
1997
- Launch of the ewz solar power exchange.
1991
- Official opening of the ‘ewz elexpo’ consulting and information centre at Beatenplatz (now the ewz customer centre).
1989
- Voters in the city of Zurich reject a proposal to unilaterally phase out nuclear power.
- Adoption of the city’s electricity saving decree.
1986
- Official opening of the Solis dam.
1978
- Official opening of the Rothenbrunnen power plant.
1961
- Official opening of the Bergell power plants Power production starts at the Hinterrhein power plants.
1954
- The electorate of the city of Zurich approves credit of 175 million Swiss francs for the power plants in Bergell. The four hydropower and pumped-storage power plants Löbbia, Castasegna, Bondo and Lizun provide electricity for nearly 100,000 households in Zurich.
1949
- The electorate of the city of Zurich approves the construction of the Marmorera reservoir for 85 million Swiss francs.
1933
- Commissioning of the Wettingen power plant.
1932
- Commissioning of the Selnau substation.
1909
- Thanks to the pioneering spirit of the engineers and architects, electricity runs from the Grisons to the city of Zurich along a transmission line approximately 140 kilometres long.
1897
- Expansion of the Letten power plant through the construction of two steam generators with 1,000 horsepower each. Electricity from Letten initially powers the neighbouring industrial plants and, from 1897, the electrified tramway as well.
1893
- On 1 January 1893, the Letten power plant is officially opened and the young electricity service becomes an independent department within the Zurich municipal authorities.
1892
- In 1890, Zurich City Council endorses the decision of the City Council and approves the construction and operation of a municipal electricity utility. The Zurich Municipal Electric Utility is founded in 1892, and is initially affiliated with the city water utility. Public provision of electricity begins on 3 August 1892, supplying the Hotel Viktoria in Zurich.
1890
- The Communal Assembly of Zurich votes to introduce electric lighting in the city of Zurich and approves the construction of the Letten power plant.
