VERBUND and Salzburg AG to construct new Salzach power plant
VERBUND and Salzburg AG are to construct the new Salzach power plant at Werfen/Pfarrwerfen in joint venture. This decision has now been reached by the supervisory boards of Salzburg AG and VERBUND hydropower subsidiary VERBUND-Austrian Hydro Power AG (AHP). From 2009, the 63.5 million Euro power plant will be generating 76.5 million kilo watt hours (kWh) of electricity annually, which will flow exclusively into the regional power grid.
which will flow exclusively into the regional power grid.
“This fifth power plant on the central Salzach will represent a significant contribution to the security of supply of electricity for the entire region. On average, 22,000 households will be supplied with electricity; this is a tenth of all households in the federal province of Salzburg,” Dr. Arno Gasteiger, Spokesman of the Managing Board of Salzburg AG, stated today, Wednesday, at the press conference in Vienna.
“In order to be able to continue covering electricity demands especially in peak times in the future and to keep electricity imports as low as possible, it is important to open up new domestic sources of energy,” added Herbert Schröfelbauer, Chairman of the Managing Board of AHP. “Werfen/Pfarrwerfen will be constructed as a modern run-of-river power plant with two high-output pipe turbines; the entire plant will, upon completion, be harmonically integrated into the environment,” Michael Amerer, Managing Director of AHP, commented.
For the implementation of the project in agreement with the population of Werfen and Pfarrwerfen, a citizens’ advisory committee will be established consisting of representatives of the residents, communities, as well as tourist and economic businesses, which, it is hoped by those responsible for implementing the project, will be based upon open dialogue. An info hotline has been set up for questions relating to the power plant construction.
The power plant construction will affect the regional economy and labour market in a positive manner. Approximately 100 skilled workers will be employed on the construction sites during peak times. All of the construction measures will be decided on beforehand in consultation with the environmental experts. Thus, for instance, the renowned Institute of Ecology in Salzburg and the water authorities of the Office of the Provincial Government of Salzburg are included in the ecological accompanying measures.
The Werfen/Pfarrwerfen power plant is an optimal addition to the existing power plants of St. Johann, Urreiting, Bischofshofen and Kreuzbergmaut, situated along the central Salzach. All five power plants together will be generating 375 million kWh of electricity, which is enough to supply just about half of all households in the federal province of Salzburg.