Students visit Kühtai hydropower construction site

The second semester of the Energy & Sustainability Management bachelor's degree program recently went on an informative excursion to the Kühtai construction site, which is part of the expansion of the renowned Sellrain-Silz power plant group. The group gained a comprehensive picture of the impressive dimensions of the construction project and insights into its significance for energy supply and sustainability.

THE SCOPE OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

The Sellrain-Silz power plant group, already one of the most powerful plants in the Eastern Alps with a plant capacity of 781 MW and a standard energy capacity of 531 GWh, is being expanded by the addition of the Kühtai 2 power plant with a further 190 MW capacity and a new dam with the Kühtai reservoir. In addition, new tunnels are being built to bring in water from the central Ötztal and the farthest Stubaital.

OPEN ANSWERS TO CRITICAL QUESTIONS

During their visit, the students were able to experience first-hand how the new infrastructure is built underground in a rock cavern and how the dam is constructed. They were particularly impressed by the openness of the employees, who answered the students' critical questions. Sustainability aspects such as the longevity of the capital goods, the environmentally friendly construction method and the minimization of interference with nature play a central role in this major project.

HYDROPOWER WITH GREAT POTENTIAL

„Hydropower is an important pillar of renewable energy. Even if this technology seems to be mature, it is still amazing how many new ideas and innovation potentials can be introduced and realized even in large-scale projects if they are viewed and assessed from the perspective of sustainability.” reports Prof. (FH) Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Woyke.

The excursion to the Kühtai construction site offered the students a valuable opportunity to link their theoretical knowledge with real projects and gain deep insights into the practice of sustainable energy development.