Facts
The simple partnership Upper Rhone Valley Line, consisting of Swissgrid AG and the Swiss Federal Railways SBB, plans to construct a new 380/220/132/65 kilovolt high-voltage line between Bitsch/Massaboden-Filet/Mörel-Ulrichen (the so-called Gommerline). Various municipal and civic communities of the Upper Goms region as well as individuals filed a complaint with the Federal Administrative Court against the planning approval decision of the Federal Office of Energy (BFE) dated June 30, 2011.
The Federal Administrative Court upheld the complaints, revoked the contested planning approval, and referred the matter back to the BFE for further action in accordance with the considerations. It ordered that a cable study be obtained to examine the possibility of (partially) cabling the Gommerline.
Considerations
The Federal Supreme Court partially upholds the appeal of the simple partnership Upper Rhone Valley Line and revokes the decision of the Federal Administrative Court only insofar as the remission goes beyond the area "Binnegga-Binnachra-Hockmatta-Hofstatt". In all other respects, it dismisses the appeal.
The Federal Supreme Court considers the BFE's balancing of interests for the section in the Upper Goms to be in…