About us

About us

graphic
The inauguration of the Nant de Drance pumped storage power plant on 8 September 2022 was dedicated to today’s youth and future generations. Children from the neighbouring primary schools explored the monumental construction just before the official ceremony and decorated a wall in the machine cavern with colourful handprints.
Photo: Nant de Drance / Sébastien Moret

Alpiq is a leading Swiss energy company that is active in various countries and markets throughout Europe. Our energy business contributes to a better climate and improves the security of supply in Switzerland and for our customers on the European markets. We pursue a sustainable, financially sound and risk-adjusted business model.

Our core business is the production of electricity from flexible CO 2-free hydropower and nuclear power in Switzerland as well as from wind power and photovoltaics in several European countries. In addition, we operate modern and flexible gas-fired combined-cycle power plants in Italy, Spain and Hungary. By producing green hydrogen, we are pioneers in contributing to CO 2-free heavy-duty traffic and are continuously expanding our competence.

Our core business also comprises energy trading. We sell production from our own plants as well as third-party plants on our modern and efficient trading platform. We trade with electricity, gas and other energy products in many European countries. A sustainable and cost-effective energy procurement strategy is an important aspect of any business. Our Sales & Origination team supports industrial and business customers with sustainable energy management as well as a wide range of energy solutions and services.

We have around 1,200 employees and are headquartered in Lausanne.

Power Production in 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

Installed capacity at 31.12.2022 1

Production 2022 2

Power Plants

MW

MW

GWh

GWh

 

 

 

 

 

Hydropower

 

3,326

 

5,380

Switzerland

3,026

 

3,252

 

France 3

300

 

2,128

 

 

 

 

 

 

Small-scale hydropower, wind, photovoltaics

 

329

 

516

Switzerland

19

 

52

 

Bulgaria

73

 

128

 

France

13

 

31

 

Italy

224

 

304

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nuclear power

 

831

 

6,557

Switzerland

676

 

5,853

 

France 4

155

 

704

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conventional thermal power

 

1,308

 

4,997

Italy

491

 

2,726

 

Spain

414

 

1,117

 

Hungary

403

 

1,154

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

5,794

 

17,450

1 Based on Alpiq’s net share of total power plant production

2 Net share attributable to Alpiq from total power plant production (after deducting pumped energy)

3 Including base versus peak exchange contract

4 Long term supply contract

Organisational structure

By the end of 2022, we organised our business into three business divisions: Switzerland, International and Trading.

The Switzerland business division comprises the production of electricity from Swiss hydropower, nuclear power, wind power and industrial photovoltaic plants, the operation of power plants and the development of several wind farm projects in Switzerland. The power plant portfolio includes run-of-river power plants, storage and pumped storage power plants (including Nant de Drance) as well as interests in the Gösgen and Leibstadt nuclear power plants. In addition to this, the business division manages shares in HYDRO Exploitation SA and Kernkraftwerk-Beteiligungsgesellschaft AG (KBG).

The International business division comprises power production of wind power plants, small-scale hydropower plants and industrial photovoltaic plants, the operation of power plants and the development of several wind farm projects located outside of Switzerland. The business division also covers the production of electricity and heat in thermal power plants in Hungary, Italy and Spain. The power plant portfolio is made up of gas-fired combined-cycle power plants and gas-fired turbine power plants. Power is sold on the European electricity trading market via the Trading business division or via third parties. The power plants are used by the respective grid operators to balance the grids. In addition, International includes direct marketing and energy management for industrial and business customers to help these meet their cost efficiency and sustainability goals, always with a view to increasing customer benefits and creating value.

The Trading business division comprises the optimisation of Alpiq’s own power plants as well as the optimisation of decentralised generation units and the production of electricity from third parties’ renewable energies. It also covers trading activities with standardised and structured products for electricity and gas as well as emission allowances and certificates. The business division was renamed Trading in the second half of 2022 following the transfer of the support functions D&C Technology and Operations to the Group Centre.

Active throughout Europe

We are represented by branches in various European countries, both in trading and sales as well as with energy services. We operate our own power plants in Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, Hungary and Bulgaria.