Swiss electricity balance 2024: electricity consumption increased

in 2024, Swiss electricity consumption increased by around 1.7% or 0.9 terawatt hours (TWh) compared to the previous year. In the same period, domestic electricity production increased by around 11.7% or 8.4 TWh. This is shown by the provisional estimates for the 2024 electricity balance of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE).

These estimates are based on the provisional statistical values for the months of January to October 2024 (see link under "Total generation and supply of electrical energy in Switzerland in 2024") and initial estimates for the months of November and December 2024. The definitive values for the Swiss electricity balance for 2024 will be published on 19 June 2025 with the overview of energy consumption in 2024, while the complete electricity statistics for 2024 (annual publication) will not be published until August 2025 due to various adjustments to the content.

Higher electricity consumption in most months of the year
According to the current estimate, Switzerland's provisional final electricity consumption (final consumption = national consumption minus grid losses) amounted to around 57.0 TWh in 2024. This is 1.7% more than in 2023 (56.1 TWh). Significantly more electricity was consumed than in the previous year, particularly in July, September and December.

More domestic electricity production thanks to another increase in production by hydropower plants
According to current estimates, provisional domestic electricity production (national production) amounted to around 80.5 TWh in 2024 (new domestic production record). This is 11.7% or around 8.4 TWh more than in 2023 (72.1 TWh). At 48.3 TWh, hydropower plants again produced significantly more electricity in 2024 than in the corresponding quarters of the previous year (total +18.5%; new production record). At 23.0 TWh, Switzerland's four nuclear power plants generated around 1.5% less electricity than in the previous year (energy utilization including heat output: 88.4%). According to the first provisional estimates, the thermal and renewable electricity production plants generated around 15.6% more electricity in 2024 than in the previous year (production 'total thermal' approx. 3.1 TWh, wind power approx. 0.2 TWh, photovoltaics approx. 5.9 TWh [incl. own consumption]). According to the current estimate, around 60.0% of the electricity produced in 2024 came from hydropower plants (run-of-river power plants 24.1%, storage power plants 35.9%), 28.6% from nuclear power plants and 11.4% from thermal and renewable electricity production plants. The percentage shares of hydropower and the sum of thermal and renewable generation have increased compared to 2023.

Higher electricity export surplus in 2024
in 2024, there will be an export surplus (physical imports minus physical exports) of around 14.4 TWh (compared to an export surplus of around 6.4 TWh in 2023).

Disclaimer
In the electricity balance for 2024, the monthly production of thermal power plants, wind power and PV systems (including own consumption) are shown separately for the first time. These monthly values are initial estimates ('provisional values') and will be revised retrospectively as part of the detailed annual surveys on PV, wind power and thermal electricity generation in June. Publication will take place as part of the definitive electricity balance 2024 on June 19, 2025. Due to the change in methodology in the 2024 statistical year, the SFOE will also review revisions to the previous year's figures.

Gerold Truniger, Expert Analyses and Perspectives SFOE