Zurich Cuts Swimming Pool Temperatures to Save Energy

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(Bloomberg) — Swiss banking capital Zurich will switch off outdoor lighting on public buildings and reduce the water temperature in indoor swimming pools as part of a drive to save energy.

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The measures are the first in a four-step plan, Zurich’s city council said in a statement on Wednesday. A second stage involves cutting the room temperature in administrative buildings to a maximum of 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit).

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While supplies of electricity and gas to Switzerland’s largest city are currently secure, the council said the geopolitical situation means it needs to take action to prevent potential shortages. 

Should energy shortfalls occur, the Swiss federal government would oversee the fourth and final stage of the response, which would include quotas or partial grid shutdowns to ensure supply, the city of Zurich said.

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Switzerland gets about 15% of its energy from gas, with almost half of that originating in Russia before the invasion of Ukraine. However, Swiss electricity is generated mainly from hydro power. The Swiss government announced plans on Wednesday for a hydro-power reserve to strengthen energy supplies and help avoid bottlenecks near the end of the winter.