Geneva electricity users are likely to get a reimbursement after the Court of Auditors confirmed the utility company, the SIG, over-charged consumers by CHF 22m.
That works out at around 5 francs per customer a year between 2008 and 2021.
The reasons for overcharging are rather technical – it’s the difference between the amount of power sent to the network and what was actually delivered to the customer.
The court ruled the SIG used an incorrect formula which broke federal law - and they knew that in 2018.
But the head of the SIG, Christian Brunier, wants to be clear that CHF 22m over 15 years is rather small when it’s compared to the entire electricity supplied over the same period, which is CHF 6bn.
He also emphasises Geneva electricity prices are the lowest in the country after canton Nidwalden.