Start for ÖBB Power Plant Delayed Until 2028

The two turbine spirals, each weighing 35 tons for the ÖBB power plant, need to be newly manufactured by the producer in the USA. The ÖBB did not disclose the cause of the problem, but it is suspected that there is a production error.

Turbine spirals for ÖBB power plant do not fit

The spirals resemble a snail shell and are the connection between the penstocks and the turbines. The custom-made parts have a diameter of almost eight meters and are supposed to direct up to 40,000 liters of water per second, which flows in with high pressure from the tunnels, evenly onto the turbines. The huge spirals were delivered in parts last year and were supposed to be welded together in the power plant cavern now.

As ÖBB spokesperson Robert Mosser confirmed to the APA, it was found during assembly that the shape of the spirals does not fit exactly. "Therefore, it was agreed with the manufacturer to have the two components produced again." The spirals must withstand enormous loads and are supposed to last 100 years. Because they are massively embedded in concrete, a later repair would have been associated with enormous effort and very high costs. The additional costs for the ÖBB due to the error are currently being examined. The fact is that the turbines can only be installed in the underground machine cavern once the spirals have been mounted.

ÖBB power plant to generate one fifth of railway electricity

The Tauernmoos pumped storage power plant expands the existing Stubachtal power plant group, where the ÖBB generates about one fifth of the railway electricity needed in Austria. For the power plant, the Tauernmoossee and the Weißsee, located 220 meters higher, are connected with tunnels. In the future, it is supposed to cover the peak loads in the railway power grid during high electricity demand and generate up to 460 GWh of electricity per year. Construction work has been ongoing since 2020. The costs for the construction amount to approximately 360 million euros, which the ÖBB finances from its own funds outside the framework plan.

(APA/Red)

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