Secondary Control Reserve (SRL): Definition and Prices

Sekundärregelleistung (secondary control reserve, SRL) is the second tier of control reserve: it relieves primary control reserve and fully balances out an imbalance in the Swiss electricity grid within 5 minutes, controlled automatically by Swissgrid. In 2025, Swissgrid held around 360 MW in both directions on annual average. Holding the reserve cost around CHF 70'000 per MW and year on average; activation as secondary balancing energy was paid at 334 EUR/MWh positive and 208 EUR/MWh negative (ElCom). The minimum bid is 5 MW until mid-2027.

For secondary control reserve, Swissgrid distinguishes between holding capacity (SRL+ and SRL-) and activation (SRE+ and SRE-). Holding capacity is paid per MW and period, regardless of whether an activation takes place. Activation is paid per MWh and has been subject to a price cap of 1’000 EUR/MWh since 3 March 2025, extended to the end of 2026 (ElCom).

Prices swing widely. In 2023, holding capacity peaked at around CHF 527’000 per MW, driven by the energy crisis and high market concentration; in 2024 it was around CHF 85’000, in 2025 around CHF 70’000 (ElCom). Activation prices rose in 2024, by contrast, because forecast errors in PV feed-in within the balance groups caused more imbalance energy.

For battery storage systems, SRL is the economically most important balancing energy market. With combined marketing, Ampere Dynamic calculates up to CHF 150’000 per MW and year (Ampere Dynamic model estimate, 2026, indicative only); the external anchor is the ElCom capacity cost of around CHF 70’000 per MW. How pooling works is explained in the article Balancing energy with battery storage; marketing is part of the energy marketing solution.