Electricity company of the city of Zurich
| ewz (power station of the city of Zurich) | |
|---|---|
| legal form | Municipal Service Department |
| founding | 1892 |
| Seat | Zurich , Switzerland |
| management | Bendikt Loepfe ( Director ai ) Michael Baumer (Head of DIB ) |
| Number of employees | 1212 |
| sales | 988 million CHF |
| Branch | power supply |
| Website | www.ewz.ch |
| Status: 2020 | |
The electricity company of the city of Zurich (ewz) has been responsible for the power supply in Zurich since it was founded in 1892 . As an institute under public law, the EWZ is organizationally subordinate to the Department of Industrial Companies (DIB) as a service department.
The EWZ operates its own power plants, holds shares in power plants, maintains supraregional high-voltage lines, supplies private and business customers in the city of Zurich and parts of the canton of Graubünden with electricity, and in particular also supplies the Zurich transport company and the SZU - Uetlibergbahn with traction current from rectifier systems. In the city of Zurich, the EWZ is responsible for operating public lighting and public clocks. Since 1999, the custom spelling has existed as a CD- compliant word / image mark .
prehistory
Increasing energy consumption
The municipal power station of the city of Zurich was founded in 1892 on the decision of the Zurich municipal assembly. The Letten power plant , one of today's four Limmat plants (three of which are owned by the EWZ), was completed in 1892 and began delivering electrical energy on August 3. The first electric lamp burned in the Hotel Victoria near Zurich main station (Bahnhofplatz corner of Löwenstrasse, demolished in 1931). By the end of the year, over 4,000 lamps were glowing in Zurich at night.
In the rapidly growing city, in which all neighboring villages were incorporated in 1893 and 1934, the demand for energy grew rapidly. Numerous industrial companies have settled in and around Zurich. At the same time, the steam trains were largely replaced by electric trains, so that the trams and the Uetlibergbahn became more customers.
The electricity demand could no longer be met with local low-pressure run-of-river power plants.
Expansion into the canton of Graubünden
The city of Zurich negotiated contracts with the canton of Graubünden and local municipal authorities for the construction of hydropower plants, including river drives. For this reason, the most important production location is still the canton of Graubünden today. At the same time, around a third of the Graubünden population is supplied with electricity directly or indirectly by the EWZ.
Power plants
The EWZ owns 14 power plants of its own; the power plants in the canton of Graubünden are divided into the two power plant groups Kraftwerke Mittelbünden and Bergell Kraftwerke , which comprise six and five power plant centers and a number of shut-off structures (dams, dams). With the exception of Wettingen (from 2007), all production facilities at the EWZ have been monitored and controlled from Sils im Domleschg since 2003 . The City of Zurich also holds stakes in other power plants through the EWZ.
Limmatwerke
- Latvian power plant
- Höngg power plant "Am Giessen"
- Wettingen power plant
Central Grisons power plants
- Tinizong power station
- Tiefencastel Ost power plant
- Tiefencastel West power plant
- Power Station Sils i. D.
- Rothenbrunnen power plant
- Solis power plant
Bergell power plants
- Castasegna power station
- Löbbia power plant
- Bondo power station
- Lizun power plant
- Plancanin and Forno power plants
Construction of this group of power plants began in 1958. Every day around 1000 tons of cement were transported to St. Moritz on the Rhaetian Railway . The railway company responded to the transport order by ordering the Ge 6/6 II locomotive series .
Holdings
Hydraulic power plants
- AG Kraftwerk Wägital (50%)
- Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG (16.66%)
- Kraftwerke Hinterrhein AG (19.5%)
- Blenio Kraftwerke AG (17%)
- Maggia Kraftwerke AG (10%)
Thermal power plants
- Gösgen -Däniken AG nuclear power plant (15%)
- AKEB - AG for nuclear power holdings (20.5%)
- Leibstadt nuclear power plant
- EDF nuclear power plant Bugey 2 + 3
- EDF nuclear power plant Cattenom 1 + 2
Supply area in the canton of Graubünden
The EWZ received the concession for deliveries from the valley communities in Graubünden, in which it has transmission rights. These are the Bergell , the Oberhalbstein , the lower Albula valley, the Domleschg , the Rhine plain near Chur and the Lenzerheide . For this purpose it has an operations control center in Sils im Domleschg. Since the 1960s, the EWZ has endeavored to expand its 220 kV lines to a voltage level of 380 kV.
220 kV connection lines
- Castasegna – Löbbia (near Vicosoprano)
- Löbbia – Tinzen
380 kV connection line
- Tinzen – Tiefencastel – Sils im Domleschg (expanded to 380 kV in 2006 and 2007)
380 kV line Sils – Fällanden
Summary
In 1906, the development of hydropower plants in the Canton of Graubünden in Zurich was approved by a referendum. To transport the energy, a connection line from Sils im Domleschg to Fällanden had to be built , which was carried out around 1909. Before completion, there was an incident: a farmer willfully cut the wires; he was of the opinion that he had received insufficient compensation for the expropriation.
The Energiestrasse was expanded step by step twice and is now designed as a bundle line for 380 kV over its total route of around 120 kilometers. Between Niederurnen and Mels , it has been used by the Swiss Federal Railways since 2003 . The masts had to be raised and the foundations partially reinforced.
Expansion stages for 380 kV
1960-1980
Since the Energiestrasse went through an expansion program lasting almost 40 years, different construction methods are used between Eschenbach SG and Sils. In the 1960s, expansion work began at Mastrils and Chur . The single line was expanded into a bundle line - with the help of helicopters - and V-shaped insulators were used for the first time. This means that the conductors are each attached to two sloping insulation rods. A Danube mast (on the Rhine) was erected in the Sarelli to cross under the Rhine Valley line .
In 1961, a remote-controlled substation for 220 kV was built in Benken SG . Since then, the energy routes have branched out to Fällanden and Saturdayern . After more than 30 years of operation, the station had to be refurbished. In April 1994 the Zurich electorate approved a loan of CHF 74.55 million to replace the previous 220 kV system with a new 380 kV outdoor system. This is where the 220 kV circuit to Saturdayern begins, which feeds the 220 kV Saturdayern – Frohalp line , and the 380 kV Benken – Mettlen line as an equalizing line. The procurement of soil from clay , peat , silt and sand has proven to be unfavorable. As a result, furnishings such as cable carriers, equipment scaffolding, transformers, track systems, oil separators, transformer pumping stations and the new company building had to be built on piles.
The expansion to 380 kV continued in the 1970s. In the canton of Zurich , the masts are dated 1972 and 73. In 1972 the section of the A13 motorway and along the Rhine - with a mast on the area of the Heidiland motorway service station - was expanded. In 1976 the section through Domleschg followed.
Expansion work in the Linth plain and on Lake Walen
Expansion work also followed on Lake Walen in the 80s . This displeased some landowners, so they took the matter to the federal court . However, the management was deemed to be in conformity with the law, and the plaintiffs had to pay the costs of the proceedings.
The last stage
The old 220 kV line passed Plons to the northeast. Since 1994, the 380 kV line has been going on four Danube masts from the Sax to Oberplons and from there - again to barrel masts - into the Schlings.
The last stage - from the Schlings to Vilters - was the most difficult and was therefore conquered last. The old 220 kV line still crossed the Vilterserberg and touched the village of Vilters, while the new 380 kV line was built with a major detour. The first masts were erected in 1994 in the Rhine plain near Sargans and largely along the Saar and the 380 kV line Bonaduz-Breite , but remained unused for about two years, as the line over the Weisstannental turned out to be particularly difficult. Two masts following each other stand a little less than a kilometer apart. These structures stand at 760 m above sea level. M. and 900 m .
Construction / design
Most of the buoy masts differ from the NOK's 380 kV support masts in that they have vertical struts in the arms.
The line in Domleschg was merged with the regional EWZ fine distribution line on the occasion of its expansion for 380 kV. In addition, Danube masts built in the 1980s and 1990s are used between the Heidiland motorway service station and Vilters and at Mels-Plons. Otherwise the line is equipped with barrel masts. At Flums, the Energiestrasse crosses a residential and industrial district. There the two 380 kV current loops had to be increased slightly. Therefore, with the installation of the SBB current loop, cylindrical spacers were attached under the bottom boom. A total of around 500 masts are used.
Lines
In the Alps
The Sils – Fällanden line crosses the Domleschg, the Rhine Valley near Chur and the Seeztal. From the place name Sax to the height of Flums, it runs parallel to the Seez . Then it touches the Raischibe on its south side and follows the left bank of the Walensee.
In the Lin Plain
It is one of the five pipelines in parallel the Linthebene traverse: the Northeast Biberlichopf and the Linthkanal along are 380 kV, 220 kV and Feinverteilleitungen out simultaneously. There can be strong winds - mostly a westerly wind blows. Under certain circumstances, this can lead to the otherwise vertical insulators becoming inclined inadvertently. Therefore, as with almost all 380 kV lines, double isolators are used on many masts . In 1980 the line from Giessen near Benken to the foot of the Kerenzerberg was expanded for its current voltage level. Barrel masts with hook-shaped insulators were built along the Linth Canal and the motorway . The new bundle line became a “cable car” for a short time. The overhead line fitters used small gondolas that were attached to parallel ropes. This is how the intermediate pieces were installed, which since then hold 2 cables together per circuit.
In the lowlands
From Benken, the Energiestrasse goes its own way on the right side of Lake Zurich. It touches the Buchberg between Uznach and Tuggen and then crosses the communities of Schmerikon and Eschenbach and the Zurich Oberland. It runs on the left side of the Greifensee before it ends in Fällanden in the substation on Dübendorferstrasse.
Other connecting lines (extract)
380 kV line Benken – Mettlen
Lines
The Benken substation belonging to the city of Zurich was expanded from 220 kV to 380 kV in the mid-1990s . It is the intermediate station on the Sils – Fällanden line. Their expansion was the last step in the expansion program for the Sils – Benken – Saturdayern – Mettlen line. However, there is no longer any connection between Benken and Mettlen to Saturday. Three 220 kV circuits lead from Benken to Saturdayern and feed the Saturdayern – Frohalp line.
Three circuits of the north-east Switzerland power plants connect the Grynau substation with the Mettlen station. The three-pole line, which is still designed for 220 kV, touches the Buchberg near Tuggen and joins the Benken – Mettlen line near Siebnen. An expansion of the Grynau – Mettlen line is also being discussed.
Displeasure with the high voltage line
The Benken – Mettlen line is one of the most controversial energy routes in Switzerland. In the canton of Zug , residents were dissatisfied with electrosmog. The opponents organized themselves into an association and sued the EWZ and the joint user NOK ; In the end, the line was rated as compliant with the law.
Local politicians and other residents of the municipality of Baar are calling for the line to be laid underground, but the operators EWZ and NOK reject this. A corresponding complaint from landowners was dismissed by the federal court in October 2006. The applicants intended to lodge their complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
220 kV line Innertkirchen – Mettlen
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In Mettlen near Inwil (Lucerne), a joint substation is operated by the company for the construction and operation of the Mettlen station. An EWZ's own 220 kV line transports electricity from the Oberhasli power plants to Mettlen and then via Obfelden to Zurich. Half of the Innertkirchen – Mettlen line is owned by BKW Energie , which also operates the branch from Hellbühl to Littau. This branch also includes the tallest prefabricated concrete mast in the world. There, too, there were problems with landowners who refused to accept expropriation. The masts there consist of two concrete pillars and a 2-level arrangement. From this junction to Mettlen, the EWZ and BKW line has been designed for 380 kV since 1988 and, with the Sils – Fällanden line, contains bucket masts and a few Danube masts near Mettlen. An expansion of the entire line is currently being discussed.
Sequels:
- Mettlen – Obfelden
- Obfelden – Birmensdorf
220 kV Saturdayern – Frohalp line
The aforementioned 220 kV line from Saturdayern ends on the Frohalp near the Brunau . So far it has not been possible to expand the entire line to 380 kV. This expansion is also not conceivable for the time being, as it will be based on a 220 kV substation. The Saturdayern-Frohalp line runs past the Hirzel and touches the Sihl valley between Sihlbrugg and Langnau . In Saturdayern and in the agglomeration of Zurich (in Gattikon near Thalwil and in Adliswil ) it crosses settlement areas. A special feature is the universal support mast made of concrete, with which the line was raised in favor of a sports facility near Thalwil.
Zurich is becoming an energy city - on the way to becoming a 2000 watt society
In 2000, Zurich was one of the first major cities to be awarded the Energiestadt label by the Energiestadt association. In 2005 Zurich received the "European Energy Award Gold". In 2006, the Zurich City Council set the concept of the “2000 Watt Society” developed by ETH Zurich as a legislative goal until 2010.
Since 2006, the EWZ has been free to choose between ecological and conventional electricity products; at the same time, economical companies receive a 10% discount on the electricity and heat bills if they enter into a target agreement. In 2008 the EWZ participates in a large wind farm in the German state of Brandenburg. The electricity obtained from there is fed into the local grid under the “naturemade star” quality label. From 2012, the EWZ will obtain solar power from the world's first commercial solar thermal power plant near Murcia in Spain.
