Tasks

ElCom serves as the independent state regulatory authority for the electricity sector. It monitors compliance with the Electricity Supply Act (ESA) and has the authority to make necessary decisions and issue rulings. It supervises electricity prices and tariffs and decides on disputes over network access. EICom also monitors the situation in relation to security of electricity supply and regulates matters relating to international electricity transmission and trading.

EICom may issue decisions to perform its tasks.

ElCom has the following specific tasks:

• It controls the electricity tariffs charged to customers who do not have free network access as well as network usage remuneration. EICom has the authority to prohibit unjustified electricity price increases and may order prices to be reduced if they are too high. It takes action either based on reports submitted to it or on its own initiative.
• It mediates and decides on disputes relating to free access to the electricity network. Large-scale consumers with annual consumption of over 100MWh have been able to freely choose their electricity provider since 2009.
• It monitors security of electricity supply and the status of the electricity networks.
• EICom coordinates its activities with European electricity regulators.
• It carries out extensive supervision of the national grid operator, Swissgrid AG.
• Finally, ElCom decides on disputes concerning feed-in remuneration between network operators and self-consumption producers.