Besides the large grid operators EKZ and ewz, the Canton of Zurich has many smaller municipal utilities – for example in Wallisellen, Wetzikon or Uster. Since the Electricity Act, they've all remunerated exported solar power in 2026 on the same principle: the federal quarterly averaged reference market price, with the statutory minimum remuneration of 6 Rp./kWh as a floor for systems up to 30 kW, and the separately marketable guarantee of origin (GO). The differences between the utilities have thus become small – your local tariff sheet names the exact rate. (As of July 2026)
Key points in brief
- In the Canton of Zurich, many smaller municipal utilities supply individual municipalities (e.g. Wallisellen, Wetzikon, Uster).
- Since 2026, they've all followed the federal government's uniform reference-market-price model.
- For systems up to 30 kW, the statutory minimum remuneration of 6 Rp./kWh applies.
- The guarantee of origin (GO) can be marketed separately.
- The remaining differences lie in any green-power surcharges – the local tariff sheet is decisive.
Which municipal utilities exist in the Canton of Zurich?
The Canton of Zurich doesn't have a single, unified grid: alongside the large grid operators – EKZ for large parts of the canton and ewz for the City of Zurich – numerous municipal utilities supply individual municipalities themselves. Well-known examples are the utilities in Wallisellen, Wetzikon or Uster; and there are many more. Your address determines which utility is responsible for you – and only that utility remunerates your exported electricity.
The big overview of Zurich's grid operators and the neighbouring utilities is provided by the article Feed-in tariffs at a glance.
How do the municipal utilities remunerate solar power in 2026?
Here's the good news for comparison: since the Electricity Act, the basic model is the same everywhere. The smaller municipal utilities also remunerate exported solar power according to the reference market price – the quarterly averaged market price calculated and published by the Federal Office of Energy (SFOE).
| Component | 2026 rule (all grid operators) |
|---|---|
| Base remuneration | Reference market price (quarterly, SFOE) |
| Minimum remuneration (up to 30 kW) | 6 Rp./kWh (statutory floor) |
| Guarantee of origin (GO) | separately marketable |
| Possible difference by utility | any green-power surcharge – check the tariff sheet |
Guideline figures, as of July 2026. The reference market price changes quarterly; any surcharges are adjusted periodically by the respective utility – your municipal utility's current publication is decisive.
How the reference market price works is explained in the article Reference market price; the nationwide-guaranteed 6-centime floor is covered by Minimum feed-in remuneration.
So where do the utilities still differ?
Less than they used to. Before the Electricity Act, many utilities had their own fixed tariffs, which sometimes differed considerably. Today, the basis is the same reference market price everywhere – the biggest difference is any green-power surcharge a utility may additionally pay, and how it handles the GO. That's why it's worth looking at your municipal utility's specific tariff sheet: it states whether the utility adds anything on top of the 6-centime floor and the market price.
What such a tariff sheet actually looks like is shown by the example of the Werke am Zürichsee: the pure federal model with no surcharge of its own, the GO stays with the producer – and new from 2026, metering costs are shown separately. It's exactly these three points (surcharge? GO? metering costs?) that you should check in your utility's tariff sheet.
A note for managing expectations: you can't switch grid operators – a comparison serves to know what to expect, not to switch utility. What you do have in your own hands, on the other hand, is self-consumption – and that determines the economics more than any feed-in tariff.
In Zurich municipalities with their own utility, we're often asked whether the local utility pays «worse» than the big ones. Our answer since the Electricity Act: the basis is the same everywhere – the reference market price with 6 centimes as the floor. Whether your utility adds a small green-power surcharge is in the tariff sheet, and we look at that together with customers. But far more important than these details is what stays in your own house: anyone who uses the solar power themselves, rather than exporting it for the market price, gets the most out of the system – whichever municipal utility is responsible.
Frequently asked questions
Do small municipal utilities pay less for solar power than EKZ or ewz?
Not fundamentally. Since the Electricity Act, the basis everywhere is the same reference market price with a floor of 6 Rp./kWh for systems up to 30 kW. The biggest difference is any green-power surcharge a utility may additionally pay. Your municipal utility's tariff sheet names the exact rate.
How do I find out which utility is responsible for me?
Your address determines that. In municipalities with their own utility – such as Wallisellen, Wetzikon or Uster – the local municipal utility is responsible, otherwise usually EKZ. Your electricity bill names the grid operator; its website leads to the current tariff sheet.
Can I switch grid operators?
No. Your location determines the grid operator; switching isn't possible. A tariff comparison serves to manage expectations, not to switch provider. That makes it all the more important to design the system for high self-consumption – you have that in your own hands.
Where do I find my municipal utility's current feed-in tariff?
On the website, or in your utility's current tariff sheet. Because the reference market price changes quarterly and any surcharge depends on the utility, the utility's publication is the only binding source. Older figures found online should be treated with caution.
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Sources: Tariff publications of Zurich's municipal utilities, Energy Act and Energy Promotion Ordinance (EnFV), Federal Office of Energy (reference market price). As of July 2026.
Last updated: 9 July 2026 · Author: ecoEn editorial team
