Dialogue

The realisation of the Gornerli has an impact on the landscape, the environment and tourism. It is therefore important to carefully weigh up the interests of protecting the landscape and utilising the water reservoir and to define suitable substitute and compensation measures. In the environmental support group, the project managers maintain a close dialogue with representatives of various environmental and landscape protection organisations (WWF, Pro Natura, Aqua Viva, Mountain Wilderness, Swiss Foundation for Landscape Conservation), Swiss Fishing Federation and various tourism organisations (Zermatt mountain guides, Swiss Alpine Club SAC, commune of Zermatt). The environmental support group also includes various cantonal services.

The Gornerli multi-purpose reservoir is of great importance to the communes, the canton and the whole of Switzerland. The authorities support group was set up in November 2024 to ensure that the project is coordinated as well as possible. It consists of representatives of the concession communes, the canton, the Swiss Federal Government and Grande Dixence SA. The support group aims to advance the project in a coordinated and goal-oriented manner. As such, it is necessary for all bodies, committees and authorities involved in the process to work together closely and efficiently and to exchange information on a regular basis.

The existing Grande Dixence concession will be expanded with a concession addition for the Gornerli project. Like the existing Grande Dixence concession, the additional concession will last until the end of 2044. The existing concession itself will not be affected. At the same time as the concession addition, the residual value compensation at the end of the concession in 2044 will also be agreed with the concession grantors, i.e. the 21 concession communes and the canton. As the planned investments cannot be amortised during the remaining concession period of around 10 to 15 years, the residual value compensation must be determined between the current owner of Grande Dixence and the future owners (concession communes and canton). In order to conduct these negotiations, the two parties agreed in early 2024 to set up a corresponding working group (ACC GD). At the same time, the concession grantors were informed about the project and the next steps at various information events.

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