Start of construction marks an important step for renewable electricity generation
Kraftwerk Meiental AG celebrated the start of construction with an official ground-breaking ceremony. The plant is expected to generate 34 gigawatt hours of electricity per year from the end of 2028. Construction work began back in September.
According to a press release, Kraftwerk Meiental AG celebrated the start of construction of the Meiental power station in the municipality of Wassen with an official ground-breaking ceremony on 11 March. The actual construction work began back in September. Work is currently underway on the penstock and the new power station control centre.
The power station utilises water from the Meienreuss. This is collected at an altitude of 1,317 metres and channelled through a 3,250-metre-long penstock to the new hydroelectric power station, which is situated at an altitude of 1,100 metres in Fedenbrügg. With a capacity of 10 megawatts, the power station is expected to generate around 34 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year. It is scheduled to come into operation at the end of 2028.
A total of 40 million Swiss francs is being invested. The canton of Uri and the municipality of Wassen anticipate additional tax revenue, whilst the canton and the Corporation of Uri expect water rights fees of half a million Swiss francs per year. “We are utilising our local hydropower, strengthening regional value creation and, at the same time, making an important contribution to a climate-friendly energy supply,” Uri State Councillor and Director of Public Works Hermann Epp is quoted as saying in the press release.
Kraftwerk Meiental AG is owned by the cantonal energy supplier energieUri AG, the canton and the Corporation of Uri, as well as the municipality of Wassen.