The 430MW Reisseck II pumped storage hydroelectric power project is located in the Mühldorfer Graben region of Carinthia, Austria.
The project was developed by Austria’s biggest electricity producing company, VERBUND, with an investment of €385m ($522m) and became fully operational in February 2015.
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The output of the plant is enough to serve 30,000 households during periods of peak electricity demand.
Reisseck II pumped storage power plant development and financing
VERBUND developed the project in partnership with KELAG and Energie. KELAG holds 45% of the subscription rights in the project.
European Investment Bank provided €150m ($202m) of debt financing for the project.
Reisseck II pumped storage power project details
The Reisseck II power plant links the hydraulic systems of VERBUND’s two existing pumped storage power plants, Reisseck-Kreuzeck and Malta, in the Mölltal valley. Reisseck II utilises the existing reservoirs of these plants instead of constructing any new reservoir facilities.
Being used as a reservoir for the Reisseck-Kreuzeck storage power plant, Great Mühldorfer Lake functions as the upper basin for Reisseck II, while the Goßkar reservoir of the Malta main stage functions as the lower basin.
Water from the upper basin flows at a rate up to 80m³/s to the underground power station via a 5km headrace tunnel and an 800m pressure shaft. The powerhouse cavern, situated at a height of 1,585m above sea level, is equipped with two reversible Francis turbines of 215MW capacity each. The downstream connection is via a 203m tunnel into the lower basin.
Both generating units of the underground power plant are designed to serve as pumps, enabling the pumping back of water from the lower basin to the upper when the grid has surplus electricity.
Construction of the Reisseck II pumped storage power plant
Ground was broken for the Reisseck II project in August 2010, and the construction of the rock cavern was completed in 2011. The boring activity for the underground waterway to the Great Mühldorfer Lake was performed in 2012 with the use of a 220m tunnel-boring machine.
The assembly works commenced in 2012 and the hydroelectric generating sets were assembled at the power house cavern by mid-2013.
The block transformer with a tare weight of 200t is the heaviest among the equipment installed at the high-altitude power plant. The pressure pipes are made of steel with a diameter measuring more than 3m.
Contractors involved with the Reisseck II power plant
Andritz was awarded the contract for supplying and installing the motor-generators along with corresponding excitation equipment for the pumped storage power plant.
Bilfinger VAM Anlagentechnik was awarded the contract for supplying pressure tunnel plating and other piping system components.
Poyry Energy was awarded a €9.2m ($12.2m) contract for providing engineering services and site supervision works during the construction phase.
HPC was awarded the contract for conducting hydraulic packer tests.
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