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Hazard · Technical

Energy shortage

Lower your consumption and postpone large loads such as washing and cooking; heat one room instead of the whole flat. Follow notices from OSTRAL and your distribution network operator. Prepare for announced, rolling shutdown windows of around 4 hours – like a short power outage.

In an energy shortage, a federal phased plan comes into force: first appeals to save, then consumption restrictions and quotas for large consumers — and, as a last resort, rolling network shutdowns of a few hours. Unlike a sudden blackout, a shortage is usually announced and managed in stages.

A shortage does not arise from a fault but from a longer-term imbalance between supply and demand — for example when imports fall away in winter, power plants fail or a drought weakens hydropower. It was precisely this constellation that loomed in the winter of 2022/23.

For households this means: reduce consumption, shift loads, prepare for planned shutdown windows as for a short power outage. The OSTRAL organisation coordinates the measures; its notices are the binding source of information.

Risk rating

Risk · High (level 4 of 5)

Likelihood: Medium · Impact: High → Overall risk: High.

Risk matrix: likelihood runs vertically (top = high), impact runs horizontally (right = high). The highlighted cell shows this hazard's rating.
Impact
Low Medium High
High
Medium This hazard's rating
Low

Legend: Low (green) · Medium (yellow) · High (red). Overall risk is likelihood multiplied by impact.

A shortage of electricity or gas can lead to planned shutdowns – usually announced, in stages and limited in time.

Immediate measures

  • Reduce consumption and shift loads
  • Consider an alternative heat source
  • Follow the shutdown plans (OSTRAL)

Warning signs

  • Official appeals to save from the Confederation, cantons or energy suppliers
  • OSTRAL notices about the activation of measure stages
  • Situation information in the federal energy dashboard (electricity/gas reserves, reservoir fill levels)
  • Geopolitical/seasonal risk factors: gas shortage, failed power plants abroad, persistent drought
  • Announcement by the distribution network operator about planned shutdown windows

Before · During · After

Before

  • Know the household's energy guzzlers
  • Keep warm clothing and blankets ready
  • Know the distribution network operator's shutdown plans

During

  • Reduce consumption: postpone washing and cooking
  • Heat one room instead of the whole flat
  • Prepare for planned shutdown windows (like a short blackout)

After

  • Switch devices back on in a staggered way
  • Keep up saving measures until the all-clear comes

This really happened

  1. 2022 Electricity shortage winter

    As a result of the war in Ukraine, failed French nuclear power plants and the 2022 drought, the Confederation prepared concrete shutdown and quota plans for the first time via OSTRAL; thanks to saving and a mild winter, however, they did not have to be activated.

    Source

  2. 2022 Federal energy-saving campaign

    On 31 August 2022 the Confederation launched the national campaign "Energy is scarce. Let's not waste it." and set a voluntary gas-saving target of 15 % for the winter half-year; Switzerland exceeded this target.

    Source

  3. 2022 Outage of French nuclear power plants

    Due to stress corrosion cracking and deferred maintenance, more than half of France's 56 reactors were temporarily offline in 2022; French nuclear output fell to its lowest level in over 30 years, worsening the supply situation across Europe.

    Source

  4. 2003 Italian blackout

    It shows how a bottleneck in the closely interconnected European power grid can cascade: an overloaded Swiss line cut almost all of Italy off the grid on 28 September.

    Source

Frequently asked questions

How do I prepare for an energy shortage?

Get an overview of energy consumption in your household and learn your distribution network operator's shutdown plans. Keep warm clothing and blankets ready to keep one room warm during planned shutdowns.

How does a shortage differ from a blackout?

A shortage arises from a longer-term imbalance between supply and demand, not from a defect. It is usually announced and proceeds in stages: first appeals to save, then restrictions and quotas, as a last resort rolling shutdowns.

How do I recognise an impending shortage?

Warning signs are official appeals to save from the confederation and energy suppliers, OSTRAL notices about activated measure stages and information on the federal energy dashboard about electricity and gas reserves and reservoir fill levels.

Official sources