ewz

Ewz is Zurich's municipal electricity utility, serving households and businesses across the city and surrounding regions with power, solar installations, fiber-optic internet, and comprehensive relocation support. Unlike private utilities in other Swiss cantons, ewz is owned by the city of Zurich and operates as a public provider, making it the essential contact for electricity setup in the Zurich region.

Relocation and utility startup in Zurich

Ewz has built its web presence around residential relocation, recognizing that newcomers form a significant portion of its customer acquisition. The company operates a dedicated moving services section that walks new residents through the process of connecting utilities. The site emphasizes that relocating to Zurich starts with notifying ewz, which triggers connection of electricity and, where available, other services.

You can report your move online, and ewz handles the administrative work of setting up your account and coordinating any required infrastructure work. This is the standard first step for anyone renting or purchasing in Zurich. The site references moving-specific advice and resources, indicating the company has anticipated the needs of people arriving mid-year or mid-career and built pathways to serve them. For English speakers, the availability of content in English is a significant advantage over German-only utility websites in other cantons. Ewz appears to recognize that Zurich attracts international relocators and has accommodated this in its website design.

Electricity supply and solar opportunities

Ewz distributes electricity across Zurich with different product options. The company markets standard grid electricity alongside renewable alternatives, allowing customers to align their power sourcing with personal preferences. One key distinction from many other Swiss utilities is ewz's aggressive promotion of rooftop solar installations.

For property owners, ewz offers a solar calculator that shows whether your roof has sufficient sun exposure for a cost-effective installation. If your property qualifies, the company provides planning and installation services; ewz designs the system, installs it, and handles the administrative approvals required by Zurich's building authority. After installation, ewz deploys its "energiemanager" tool to help you optimize consumption, shifting usage toward midday hours when your installation generates the most power.

For those without a suitable roof, or renters, ewz offers participation in solar-sharing schemes. The "ewz.solarquartier" model allows you to purchase shares in a solar installation elsewhere in your neighborhood, receiving proportional solar power that is delivered directly to your property. This is an alternative to the traditional rooftop path and has become increasingly common in Swiss apartment buildings where individual rooftop space is unavailable. For relocators, this means even apartment dwellers in Zurich can participate in renewable energy generation without building their own installation. The neighborhood model supports local solar development while allowing broad participation.

For new solar installations, a "plug-and-play" option exists for balconies and small roof areas. These systems require minimal installation effort and are sized below regulatory thresholds. Ewz offers grants of up to 400 Swiss francs toward these smaller systems, reducing the entry cost.

Internet and property services

Ewz provides fiber-optic broadband throughout Zurich and surrounding areas. The company markets this alongside electricity as an integrated service; many residents can handle both utilities through a single ewz account and customer service relationship. Fiber-optic availability has expanded significantly in recent years as Zurich has upgraded its infrastructure, making it increasingly feasible to relocate to addresses with gigabit-speed connectivity. This matters for remote workers and anyone depending on reliable high-speed internet as part of their Swiss relocation plan.

The site also references property-related services beyond utilities: the "liegenschaften" (property) section covers electricity infrastructure within residential buildings, property maintenance services, and coordination with property management companies. This positions ewz as a broader property utility provider rather than just an electricity company.

What ewz publishes and what it doesn't

The solar calculator is a concrete tool; enter your address and roof orientation, and the site estimates your solar potential. The site does publish that ewz.solarzüri, its solar-sharing membership program, costs 250 Swiss francs per square meter of participation, with 20 years of power delivery included. This is transparent and allows advance cost estimation.

For general electricity rates, the site does not publish per-kilowatt-hour pricing on its main pages. Like most utilities, ewz requires customers to enter their address and account details to receive specific rate quotes. This is frustrating for someone evaluating whether Zurich's electricity costs fit their budget, but it reflects the reality that rates vary by neighborhood and consumption category.

Fiber-optic internet pricing is not published on the main pages. Availability and cost require checking your specific address or contacting the company.

Connection timelines for electricity and internet are not specified. The site does not state whether power reaches your property within days of registration or whether longer waiting periods are typical, which matters significantly for someone coordinating a move.

The site does not explicitly map which neighborhoods have fiber-optic coverage versus copper-line fallback or no ewz internet at all. Coverage information appears to require address lookup rather than area-level maps.

Who it suits and who it doesn't

Electricity is non-negotiable in Zurich, and ewz is the sole provider. Anyone relocating to the city must register with ewz and cannot choose an alternative supplier, making it an essential first contact.

The solar and solar-sharing programs are valuable for property owners and increasingly for renters in modern buildings with collective solar installations. However, older buildings without shared solar infrastructure may not offer these options. The plug-and-play balcony systems are low-commitment and accessible for renters in any building type.

Fiber-optic internet through ewz works well in areas where the company has rolled out fiber infrastructure, but coverage remains incomplete across Zurich. Those relocating to neighborhoods still on copper lines will face download speed limitations and should verify actual availability at their specific address before relying on ewz for broadband.

For English speakers, the site is available in multiple languages including English, which eases the relocation process compared to utilities in other regions that operate German-only websites. However, customer service during your setup may primarily operate in German and require advance planning if you need English-language support.

The online moving service is efficient for self-directed relocators, but anyone preferring to handle utility setup by phone will need to identify the appropriate department and arrange a call during business hours. Contacting ewz early in your relocation planning, before you've signed a lease or purchase agreement, is worthwhile for large property questions like fiber-optic availability at a specific address or the cost of a new solar installation.