Conversion instead of new construction
Mur power plant: “Old skin” to deliver 30% more power
The aging Laufnitzdorf Mur power plant north of Graz is being revitalized at a cost of millions. Its output is to be increased by 30 percent in two years. No new areas will be built, instead the listed "old skin" will be upgraded from the inside.
"We are breathing economic history," says Governor Christopher Drexler (ÖVP). The power plant is now almost 100 years old and the historic Kaplan turbines date back to the 1930s. The system will be retained in the future, but turbines "with a new dimension" will now be used, as Verbund Managing Director Michael Amerer explained on Monday. The aim is to increase output by 30 percent.
Revitalization instead of new sealing
Verbund is investing a total of 65 million euros in the modernization. The motto is to expand existing locations instead of developing new ones and thus building up more space. We are working "very sensitively with nature", says Amerer. In this way, the "old skin" is also preserved, but is equipped with "state-of-the-art technology".
Laufnitzdorf becomes number one on the Mur again
When it was commissioned in 1931, the site in Laufnitzdorf was the largest run-of-river power plant in Austria. Now, almost 100 years later, it is to become the most powerful power plant on the Mur again and supply around 40,000 households with energy.
Flood protection and new bridges
In addition to the technical interior, investments are also being made in the area surrounding the power plant. After all, the buildings extend from Pernegg in the north to Frohnleiten in the south. Here, for example, the flood dams of the plant canal are being extended. The Mixnitz weir system - which, like the power plant itself, is a listed building - is also being prepared for the future.
A total of seven kilometers of headrace channel will be renovated over the next two years. In the municipality of Frohnleiten, two new bridges will be built over the canal and safety precautions will be strengthened.
"Mammoth task" for sustainability and independence
State Environment Councillor Ursula Lackner (SPÖ) sees a "mammoth task" that represents a major step towards sustainable power generation and should increase Styria's independence in the energy sector. ÖVP Governor Drexler speaks of an "outstanding project".
Verbund boss Amerer emphasizes the "very cautious" approach without further land consumption. His company enjoys a good reputation in Europe when it comes to revitalization and renaturation, which has been seen in the past with projects along the Enns, for example.
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