Elektra Gams Genossenschaft

What Elektra Gams Genossenschaft does

Elektra Gams Genossenschaft is a Swiss cooperative (Genossenschaft) founded in 1921 in the municipality of Gams, Canton St. Gallen, that functions as the regulated electricity distribution utility for approximately 3,650 residents. Its distribution network comprises 23 transformer stations and 168 distribution cabinets, with two feed-in points from St.Gallisch Appenzellische Kraftwerke. Beyond electricity, the cooperative operates an independent fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network — construction of which began in 2024 — that enables telecommunications services delivered in partnership with Rii Seez Net, plus a retail store (Fachgeschäft) carrying major appliance and lighting brands, and professional electrical installation services including 24/7 on-call (Pikettdienst) support. The cooperative is owned by its member building owners, governed by a board of directors (Verwaltungsrat) elected every four years, and led operationally by Betriebsleiter Heinz Kolb (since 2010) and Kaufmännischer Leiter Michael Zuber, supported by an 18-person team including electricians, installers, network builders, telecom technicians, billing/administration staff, and apprentices. Elektra Gams is also a member of the Rii-Seez-Power regional energy pool (14 utilities in the Rheintal and Seezgebiet).

The business model is structurally multi-stream and entirely direct-to-consumer within Gams: recurring revenue comes from electricity supply via tiered tariffs (household, commercial >50,000 kWh/year, industrial medium-voltage, construction/temporary, and street lighting), plus grid-usage base + per-kWh fees (CHF 10/mo household base, CHF 15/mo commercial) and metering charges (CHF 6.20/mo direct, CHF 25/mo transformer). A separate stream of recurring revenue is being established through FTTH connection and ongoing telecom-service charges delivered via Rii Seez Net. Transactional/professional-services revenue comes from electrical installations (new builds, renovations, fiber installs, lighting consultation) and a feed-in tariff (Rückliefertarif) mechanism for customer-owned PV systems exporting power back to the grid. Hardware revenue flows through the Fachgeschäft retail store, which sells appliances (Miele, V-Zug, Bosch, Siemens, Electrolux, Jura, KitchenAid, De'Longhi, Braun, Solis, Groupe SEB, etc.) and lighting/electrical accessories with optional delivery and assembly.

Distribution and customer engagement occur through a single physical location (Gasenzenstrasse 7, 9473 Gams) with a Fachgeschäft storefront, an online customer portal (elektra-gams.energyboard.ch), phone/email support, and on-site field technicians. No external paid marketing or social-media advertising is used; customer acquisition is effectively structural via the regulated franchise and the cooperative membership model. Pricing is publicly disclosed (tariff PDFs published annually through 2026, with machine-readable JSON tariff data also provided), and the company has been operating continuously for 100+ years, with the centennial celebrated in 2021/2022.

Name

Elektra Gams Genossenschaft

Legal name

Elektra Gams Genossenschaft

Website

https://elektra-gams.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Elektra Gams Genossenschaft is a Swiss electricity cooperative founded in 1921 that distributes electricity, operates an FTTH fiber optic network, and provides electrical installation services and a retail store to approximately 3,650 residents of Gams municipality in Canton St. Gallen.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Distribution

NAICS

Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Distribution System Owners (Wires-Only Companies) (EUADABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Smart Grid Automation & Distribution Management (DA/ADMS) (EUADAPAA), Interconnection, Permitting & Grid Services for DERs (EUAMAJAH)

Keywords

• Electricity distribution services
• Fiber optic network
• Electrical installation services
• Retail appliance sales
• Cooperative utility services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gams

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Electricity Supply and Distribution: Core revenue from electricity supply to ~3,650 residents of Gams municipality. Revenue comprises network usage fees, energy delivery charges, metering costs, and regulatory surcharges (network surcharge per EnG, system services via Swissgrid, federal power reserves, transmission network cost surcharge).
2. Grid Usage Fees: Charges for network access including base fees (CHF 10/month for households, CHF 15/month for commercial) and per-kWh usage charges.
3. Metering Services: Monthly metering charges: CHF 6.20 for direct/virtual metering, CHF 25 for transformer metering (household tariffs 2026).
4. Electrical Installation Services: Installation services including small jobs, service work, new construction electrical installations for single-family and multi-family homes, electrical planning, lighting consultation, renovations, telephone/multimedia/fiber installations.
5. Retail Store (Fachgeschäft): Sales of large and small appliances, lamps and lighting for living and work areas, electrical accessories, telephone equipment and accessories, and various installation materials. Delivery and installation services available for a small assembly fee.
6. Fiber Optic Network Services: FTTH connection services allowing customers to access services from Rii Seez Net. Revenue from connection fees and ongoing service charges.
7. Feed-in/Tariff Rebates: Feed-in tariffs (Rückliefertarife) for customers with photovoltaic or other energy generation systems who feed power back to the grid.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Elektra Gams Genossenschaft is a Swiss electricity cooperative that distributes and supplies electrical energy to approximately 3,650 residents of the municipality of Gams in the canton of St. Gallen. It operates 23 transformer stations and 168 distribution cabinets fed by two feed-in points from St.Gallisch Appenzellische Kraftwerke, delivers FTTH fiber optic telecommunications, provides electrical installation services, and runs a retail store (Fachgeschäft) selling household appliances and electrical accessories.

Product overview

Elektra Gams Genossenschaft operates as a multi-service utility cooperative offering a unified portfolio of infrastructure and service products. The core offerings center on electricity supply (Strom-Versorgung) with tiered tariffs for household, commercial, and industrial customers, complemented by an expanding fiber optic network (Glasfaser-Netz) for telecommunications. Installation services provide electrical work for new builds and renovations, while the Fachgeschäft retail store offers appliances and electrical products. Digital services include a customer portal and various administrative forms for account management and meter readings. The company serves approximately 3,650 residents through its own grid infrastructure of 23 transformer stations and 168 distribution cabinets, and is a member of the Rii-Seez-Power energy pool.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strom-Versorgung (Electricity Supply) Electricity distribution and supply services for approximately 3,650 residents in Gams, operating 23 transformer stations and 168 distribution cabinets connected via two feed-in points from St.Gallisch Appenzellische Kraftwerke.
• Strom-Tarife (Electricity Tariffs) Tiered electricity pricing for household, commercial, industrial, construction site, temporary connection, and street lighting customers, plus return-feed tariffs for solar PV systems. Includes machine-readable tariff data.
• Glasfaser-Netz / Kommunikationsnetz (Fiber Optic Network)

Quantifiable outcome

• Supplying electricity to ~3,650 residents across Gams municipality

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rii-Seez-PowercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001Regional energy pool comprising 14 energy supply companies in the Rheintal and Seezgebiet region. Elektra Gams is a member, enabling coordinated energy supply, grid management, and shared resources for municipal utilities in the region.
• Rii Seez NetcoreTechnology or IntegrationTelecommunications services provider accessible through Elektra Gams' fiber optic network in Gams. With the construction of the FTTH network, customers can now receive services from Rii Seez Net.
• MieleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium appliance brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• V-ZugminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss premium appliance brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• BoschminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAppliance brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• SiemensminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAppliance brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• ElectroluxminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAppliance brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• JuraminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium coffee machine brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• GigasetminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTelephone equipment brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• BraunminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHousehold appliance brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• De'LonghiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAppliance brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• KitchenAidminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium kitchen appliance brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• SolisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss appliance brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• Groupe SEBminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational appliance group brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• EglominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLighting brand available for sale through Elektra Gams' Fachgeschäft retail store.
• St.Gallisch Appenzellische KraftwerkecoreTechnology or IntegrationRegional energy provider serving as one of two feed-in points for electrical energy supply into the Elektra Gams distribution network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EW Rüthi: Neighboring St. Gallen Rheintal municipal utility offering electricity distribution, grid services, and energy supply to a small municipality. Direct comparable in scale, structure, and service portfolio.
• St.Gallisch-Appenzellische Kraftwerke AG (SAK): Regional electricity utility in the St. Gallen/Appenzell region that currently serves as a feed-in partner to Elektra Gams. Comparable as a Swiss municipal/regional utility operating T&D infrastructure and offering broadband and energy services.
• EW Buchs: Municipal electricity and utility cooperative in the Werdenberg region of St. Gallen canton. Almost identical business model: local distribution network, member-owned governance, energy and installation services in a small Swiss town.
• Technische Betriebe Glarus: Small municipal utility in canton Glarus offering electricity, water, and installation services. Direct comparable in scale and service portfolio to Elektra Gams.

Broad incumbents

• EKZ (Elektrizitätswerke des Kantons Zürich): Large cantonal utility in Zurich offering electricity distribution, telecom (EWZ/various FTTH initiatives), installation, and e-mobility. Comparable multi-service municipal utility at larger scale.
• Primeo Energie: Mid-sized Swiss regional utility offering electricity, gas, heat, and fiber optic services across Northwestern Switzerland. Comparable in scope (T&D + FTTH + energy services) but at significantly larger scale.
• AEW Energie AG: Cantonal utility for Aargau providing electricity distribution, telecom (FTTH via AEW FIBERNET), and energy services. Overlaps with Elektra Gams in regulated distribution + broadband + installation services.
• ewb Energie Wasser Bern: Municipal utility of the city of Bern providing electricity, natural gas, heat, water, and fiber optic services. Same municipal multi-utility model as Elektra Gams, but at municipal-city scale.

Regional players

• Energie Thurgau (ETG): Cantonal utility for Thurgau operating electricity distribution and grid services. Comparable as a small-to-mid Swiss T&D utility.
• Repower AG: Graubünden-based vertically integrated energy company active in generation, distribution, and trading in Eastern Switzerland. Comparable in regional Swiss energy distribution and energy services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elektra-gams-genossenschaft

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Elektra Gams Genossenschaft