Swiss medical institutions could consider reducing electricity consumption amid the worsening energy crisis, said Bastian Schwark, head of the energy department at the country’s Federal Office for National Economic Supply.
“Hospitals are exempt from electricity and gas quotas but they can also consider how they can reduce their electricity consumption,” Schwark told the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung on Wednesday.
He added that even in a critical industry such as pharmaceuticals, cost-saving measures could be implemented without significant cuts in production.
“Currently, almost every industry requires exceptions for itself. But this is not the right approach. Rather, each industry should think about what it can do in a critical situation,” Schwark said, adding: “This could be, for example, reducing hours of work. If this will cut electricity consumption by another 10-20%, we will postpone the introduction of quotas.”
Last month, Switzerland’s Federal Council announced that it seeks to cut natural gas use in the country by 15% from October 2022 to the end of March 2023, compared to the average consumption of the last five years. The decision was explained as an attempt to prepare for possible disruptions to gas supplies from Russia.
www.rt.com/business/563275-swiss-hospitals-power-rationing/