EWL cooperative

What EWL cooperative does

EWL Genossenschaft (formerly EWL Elektrizitätswerk Lauterbrunnen) is a member-owned energy cooperative founded in 1905 in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. It is the legally designated distribution system operator (DSO) for the Lauterbrunnen valley, serving six districts (Gimmelwald, Isenfluh, Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, Stechelberg, Wengen) with a vertically integrated electricity business spanning hydropower generation, grid operation, and retail supply to approximately 3,599 meter points (~39% primary households, ~42% second homes, ~19% other, including commercial tourism and cable-car operators such as Jungfraubahnen).

The company's generation portfolio includes three owned run-of-river hydropower plants — Wasserkraftwerk Stechelberg (~20 GWh/year, in service since 1905 and modernized in 1979), Trinkwasserkraftwerk Birrmättli (~650,000 kWh/year, since 2005), and Trinkwasserkraftwerk Spycherboden (since 2012) — supplemented by the Kraftwerk Sousbach AG joint venture with BKW, commissioned in August 2025 and capable of supplying approximately 6,700 households. Its distribution network comprises 72 transformer stations (33,195 kVA total), 132 distribution cabinets, ~15 km of 16 kV overhead line, ~36.8 km of high-voltage cable, ~145 km of low-voltage cable, and 30 km of fiber optic cable, with 3,599 smart-capable electricity meters rolled out for remote reading and time-of-use control.

EWL operates a recurring subscription-style utility revenue model with seasonally differentiated energy tariffs (winter/summer Rp./kWh), separate grid usage and measurement fees, and quarterly or monthly billing depending on consumption tier. Following a deliberate 2024–2025 refocus on core utility activities, EWL divested the Digital unit to Teleconex AG (2024) and the Elektroinstallation business to Aeschimann Elektro AG (2025), exited the Energiedienstleistungen line, and now concentrates on energy production, distribution, and limited adjacencies such as the Mürren district-heating feasibility study via its majority stake in Energie Wärme Mürren AG. A major fire at the Äschmad operating building in March 2026 destroyed the structure but left energy supply intact and operations are continuing. Reported FY2025 operating revenue was CHF 9,578,123 against a CHF 2,500,000 obligationenanleihe issued in December 2019 and cooperative capital exceeding CHF 2,000,000 from ~450 members.

Name

EWL cooperative

Legal name

EWL Genossenschaft

Website

https://ewl.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EWL Genossenschaft is a 1905-founded member-owned energy cooperative and designated distribution system operator serving ~3,599 meter points across the Lauterbrunnen valley in Switzerland with 100% renewable hydropower-sourced electricity, owned generation assets, and a regulated distribution grid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electricity Distribution & Generation

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112), Hydroelectric Power Generation (221111)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Cooperatives (Rural/Member-Owned Utilities) (EUADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electric Distribution System Owners (Wires-Only Companies) (EUADABAI), Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ)

Keywords

• Renewable electricity distribution
• Hydroelectric power generation
• Regional utility cooperative
• Distribution system operator
• Energy grid services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lauterbrunnen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Electricity Distribution: EWL operates as a distribution system operator providing electricity distribution through its regional network infrastructure to approximately 3,599 meter points in the Lauterbrunnental valley including Gimmelwald, Isenfluh, Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, Stechelberg, and Wengen.
2. Electrical Installation Services: Previously provided electrical planning and installation services including PV systems, smart home solutions, security systems, and equipment testing. This business unit was transferred to Aeschimann Elektro AG effective January 1, 2025.
3. Energy Production: Own hydroelectric power generation including Wasserkraftwerk Stechelberg (~20 GWh/year), Trinkwasserkraftwerk Birrmättli (~650,000 kWh/year), and Trinkwasserkraftwerk Spycherboden. Joint venture Kraftwerk Sousbach AG operational from 2025 with ~6,700 households capacity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

EWL cooperative (EWL Genossenschaft) produces and distributes 100% renewable electricity to households, second-home owners, commercial businesses and large commercial/transportation customers in the Lauterbrunnen valley in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland. The cooperative operates run-of-river hydroelectric power plants, manages the local electricity distribution grid (designated DSO), and provides related customer services including smart metering, public lighting and a customer portal, while electrical installation and digital divisions were divested in 2024–2025.

Product overview

EWL Genossenschaft is an energy cooperative that operates as a vertically integrated utility providing energy production, distribution, and services. The core product portfolio centers on hydroelectric power generation from three facilities (Wasserkraftwerk Stechelberg, Trinkwasserkraftwerk Birrmättli, Trinkwasserkraftwerk Spycherboden) plus the jointly-operated Kraftwerk Sousbach, supplying 100% renewable electricity to the Lauterbrunnen valley. The company manages the regional electricity distribution network including 72 transformer stations and 132 distribution cabinets. Service offerings include electrical planning and installation, smart home solutions using KNX standard, photovoltaic installations, and public lighting. Digital services comprise a customer portal and paperless billing options. Following the 2024-2025 restructuring, EWL divested its electrical installation business and discontinued its energy services division, refocusing on core energy production and distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stromprodukte (Electricity Supply Products) Grundversorgung (basic supply) and seasonal commercial/private electricity tariffs covering 100% renewable energy sourced from EWL's hydroelectric and other renewable generation for customers in the Lauterbrunnen valley under a regulated DSO franchise.
• Stromnetz (Electricity Distribution Grid) Electricity distribution network covering the entire Lauterbrunnen valley (Gimmelwald, Isenfluh, Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, Stechelberg, Wengen) comprising 72 transformer stations with 33,195 kVA total capacity, 132 distribution cabinets, ~15 km of 16 kV overhead lines, ~36.8 km high-voltage cable, ~144.9 km low-voltage cable, and ~30 km of fiber optic cable.
• Wasserkraftwerk Stechelberg Hydroelectric power plant in Stechelberg operational since 1905 (modernized 1979), using water from the Sefinenlütschine through a 550 m pressure pipeline with 252 m head, producing approximately 20 GWh/year into the EWL network.
• Trinkwasserkraftwerk Birrmättli Drinking-water hydropower plant operational since 2005, using water from the Spycherboden and Sieben-Brünnen springs through a 1113 m pressure pipeline with 133 kW installed turbine capacity and approximately 650,000 kWh annual output.
• Trinkwasserkraftwerk Spycherboden Upper-stage drinking-water hydropower plant commissioned in summer 2012, operating as a KEV (cost-covering feed-in tariff) facility with a 300 m head and 70 kW installed capacity on the Spycherboden leg.
• Kraftwerk Sousbach Hydroelectric power project developed jointly with BKW through Kraftwerksgesellschaft Sousbach AG, commissioned in August 2025, producing clean electricity for approximately 6,700 households.
• Kundenportal (Customer Portal) Online self-serve customer portal for managing electricity supply, viewing consumption data (including smart-meter usage statistics), paying bills and submitting service requests for EWL customers.
• Papierlose Stromrechnung (Paperless Billing) Electronic billing option allowing customers to receive invoices via eBill or email rather than paper, supporting cost savings and reduced environmental impact (more than 15,000 paper invoices were sent annually before adoption).
• Öffentliche Beleuchtung (Public Lighting) Ownership and maintenance of public lighting infrastructure throughout the entire Lauterbrunnen valley, covering the districts of Gimmelwald, Isenfluh, Lauterbrunnen, Stechelberg and Wengen as a public utility service for the municipality of Lauterbrunnen.
• Photovoltaic Feed-in Remuneration Feed-in tariff purchase program for photovoltaic producers in the EWL network area, offering tiered minimum rates per kW band (under 30 kW; 30–150 kW with/without self-consumption; above 150 kW) and operating alongside the separate hydropower feed-in remuneration rate (12.00 Rp./kWh under 150 kW).

Quantifiable outcome

• Energy sales of 33,698 MWh to customers in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Aeschimann Elektro AGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025Transfer of electrical installation business unit to Aeschimann Elektro AG. The competitor took over operations at existing locations (Mürren and Wengen) with continuation of all employees. Solution designed to maintain local service quality while EWL focuses on core energy business.
• Teleconex AGcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Transfer of EWL's Digital business unit including two long-term employees Anton Mattmann and Beat Aeschbacher to Teleconex AG. The IT infrastructure migration to Teleconex's cloud was completed in 2023. Partnership formed due to market developments in IT and cloud services.
• Energie Wärme Mürren AG (EnWAG)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2023EWL Genossenschaft holds majority share in EnWAG, which commissioned Wing Consulting GmbH to conduct a feasibility study for district heating in Mürren. The project responds to energy legislation requiring reorientation of EnWAG's heat generation.
• Kraftwerksgesellschaft Sousbach AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Joint venture with BKW for construction and operation of Wasserkraftwerk Sousbach hydroelectric plant. The project partners established Kraftwerksgesellschaft Sousbach AG for the project. From 2025, the plant produces clean electricity for approximately 6,700 households.
• JungfraubahnencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork cooperation for the Schilthorn 20xx project. EWL installed new cables and transformer stations at three locations (Stechelberg, Mürren, Birg). Project nearing completion by end of 2025.
• Tourism OrganizationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupport for regional tourism including jungfrauregion.ch, wengen.ch, muerren.ch, mylauterbrunnen.com, and stechelberg.ch. EWL provides sponsorship for people, events, infrastructure, and tourism organizations.
• Raffainer AGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint activities including Weihnachtsmarkt participation (green bar with Air-Glaciers), shared premises in Gewerbezone Äschmad, and PV installation with ZEV operation.
• Air-Glaciers AGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-partner for the Weihnachtsmarkt event in Lauterbrunnen, providing the 'green bar' with live music.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IB Aarau (Industrielle Werke Basel / IBAarau): Municipal Swiss utility providing electricity, water, heating, and telecom in the Aarau region. Comparable as a community-owned utility combining distribution with own generation and adjacent services, with similar governance characteristics to EWL's cooperative model.
• BKW Energie: BKW is EWL's JV partner in Kraftwerksgesellschaft Sousbach AG and one of Switzerland's largest utilities. Directly comparable as a vertically integrated Swiss energy producer and grid operator, with overlapping hydropower generation and DSO functions across multiple cantons.
• AEW Energie AG: Regional Swiss utility serving Aargau with electricity generation, distribution, and services. Closely comparable mid-sized Swiss DSO with own generation assets and similar customer mix of households, commercial, and industrial customers.
• EWS Energie AG (Schwyz): Cantonal utility serving Canton Schwyz with electricity distribution and generation. Closely comparable as a mid-sized Swiss DSO with similar mix of regulated distribution and own renewable generation, serving a similar mix of rural and tourism customers.

Regional players

• Repower AG: Swiss-Italian utility with generation and distribution across Graubünden and northern Italy. Comparable renewable-heavy generation portfolio including hydro, though operates across a broader and different geography than EWL.

Broad incumbents

• Elektrizitätswerke des Kantons Zürich (EKZ): Cantonal Swiss utility providing generation, distribution, and e-mobility services across Canton Zurich. Comparable in core DSO and renewable generation activities, with a similar municipal/cantonal stakeholder model but much larger customer base.
• Axpo Holding: Largest Swiss producer of renewable energy and a key TSO/distribution player. Comparable as a vertically integrated Swiss utility with significant hydropower generation and grid operations, but operates at national scale.
• Romande Energie: Major Swiss utility serving western Switzerland with generation, distribution, and services. Comparable as a regulated multi-segment Swiss utility with renewable production, though far larger in scale and geographic scope than EWL's single-valley franchise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcvzNz1gpsWfN94Y3JHrxyw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ewlgenossenschaft
• Instagraminstagram.com/ewlgenossenschaft
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ewl-genossenschaft

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EWL cooperative