Powering the future

“The Gornerli reservoir is a crucial piece of the puzzle for Switzerland’s future energy needs”, said Federal Councillor Albert Rösti one year ago. This in-the-works, multi-use reservoir, planned for the heights of Zermatt, is actually the country’s largest hydropower project. The plan includes building a dam wall (that’s 3-4 km long and 85 m high) that will retain glacial runoff, then channel the water to the existing Grande Dixence treatment facilities to produce energy when it is in highest demand — to the tune of 200 million kWh per year (enough to power 400,000 households). The dam will also help with flood control. The project’s preliminary draft is complete, and a law adopted in September 2025 by the Swiss federal parliament, which accelerates procedures for renewable energy projects, means the project should be completed by 2031.