TIWAG Advances Power Plant Expansion Program in Austria

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Austrian energy company Tiroler Wasserkraft AG (TIWAG) (Innsbruck) is taking the next step in the company's power-plant expansion program. After announcing the expansion of the Sellrain-Silz group of power plants, which involves the construction of the new 180-megawatt (MW) Kuehtai II power plant, the company is moving forward with the Kaunertal hydropower plant expansion project. For additional information, see related July 16, 2009, article - Tiroler Wasserkraft AG to Build Pumped-Storage Hydropower Plant in Austrian Alps.

The Kaunertal plant has been operational since 1964 and supplies 325 MW of renewable energy to the local grid. The expansion project entails the construction of a higher reservoir and two powerhouses. The Gepatsch powerhouse at the upper level will be equiped with two 110-MW reversible hydro turbines, and the Prutz II powerhouse will consist of four 125-MW Pelton hydroturbines. TIWAG is planning to invest $1.7 billion in the Kaunertal expansion project.

At the moment, the owner is preparing requests for environmental impact studies and is conducting preliminary design tasks. After completing this process, TIWAG will call for tenders in 2012-13. Construction is projected to begin in January 2014, with completion expected January 2019.

The Kaunertal hydro plant is one of the largest pumped-storage power stations in Austria. The facility uses the 900-meter-tall gradient between the Kauner valley and the Inn Valley near Prutz. The power plant generates 661gigawatt-hours of electricity per year, enough to power about 180,000 households.

TIWAG has plans to construct two additional hydropower plants in Tirol county. Malfon is a 65-MW pumped storage power station near Pettneu. The project is on hold because of strong protests on the part of the population. On the other hand, TIWAG planned to construct a 100-MW pumped storage plant in Raneburg-Matrei. This project was also cancelled because of strong protests from residents. At the moment, the company is conducting preliminary design studies for a smaller diversion plant at the same site.

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