Power station construction site

New riverbed for the Salzach near Stegenwald

Salzach water flowed to the powerhouse (left arm of the river) for the first time on Friday.

(Bild: Verbund)

The Salzach has a new riverbed at the Stegenwald power station, which is still under construction. On Friday, water flowed for the first time to the powerhouse, which was built in the dry. The old branch of the river is being turned into a near-natural bypass. The turbines are due to be connected to the grid in the summer.

Excavators built a dam on Friday to channel the water into the new 450-metre-long riverbed in the area of the Stegenwald power plant. The process was slow and controlled. "It will take a few more days until the dam is completed and all the water can flow in the new riverbed," says Verbund.

Old river arm as a near-natural body of water
The work to date has been carried out using the dry construction method, which above all means rapid progress. The old river bed is now being transformed into a near-natural bypass watercourse. Before the conversion begins, fish will be collected and reintroduced a few kilometers upstream in the Sulzau area. Verbund speaks of an ecological enhancement of the Salzach section. Fishermen are skeptical. 

Power plant construction is on schedule
The revocation of the nature conservation permit in the previous year did not lead to any delays either, it is said. Shortcomings in the documentation of various animals such as the dormouse were criticized. The process is expected to be completed in the next few weeks. The power plant is due to be connected to the grid in mid-2025 and will supply electricity for 20,000 households.