Swiss Hydro Stocks Widen Surplus to 5-Year Average

Swiss hydropower reserves rose quickly for another week by 9.8 percentage points to 63% of capacity as of 1 July, widening the surplus to the five-year average to the highest since mid February, as precipitation and snowmelt supported inflows into reserves, BFE data showed.

• Stocks saw the largest weekly increase so far this year of 10.6 points the week prior.
• The surplus to the five-year average widened to 4.9 points, up from 1.2 points the week prior, and the highest surplus since the week ending 19 February.
• The surplus to the long-term average – since 1997 – widened to 6.5 points, up from 2.2 points the week prior.
• Swiss power demand last week increased to 6.51GW, up from 6.36GW the week prior.
• Hydropower generation in Switzerland last week decreased by 229MW on the week to 3.86GW.
• Maintenance at the 836MW Usine de Bieudron hydropower plant has been extended by five days until 10 July. The facility came offline on 12 May, remit data showed.
• Nuclear generation in Switzerland rebounded by 640MW on the week to 2.4GW, after all units returned from spring maintenance.
• Forecasts suggested precipitation in Sion – in the hydro-intensive canton of Valais – will rise above the seasonal normal this weekend to reach 21mm expected on Sunday.
• Snowpack at the L'Ecreuleuse measuring station in canton Valais – where most Swiss hydropower reserves are stored – was at 88cm as of 2 July, down from 145cm on 26 June.
• The Swiss August power base-load contract closed yesterday at €49.93/MWh.