Rationale Behind the Modernization Work

The Waldeck I pumped storage power station was commissioned in 1932. Ever since, four pumped storage units with a combined installed capacity of 140 megawatts (MW) have been running reliably, generating valuable peak-load electricity for more than 70 years, which has brought them close to the end of their service lives.

The concept entails

• building a new pressurized duct power plant featuring a 70-MW pump turbine,,
  
  
• overhauling the upper basin, and
  
  
• revamping two of the old plant's turbines.

Timeline

The pre-planning phase commenced in 2004. Plans for the blueprint and approvals were brought to a successful conclusion in 2005, by which time we had already received the go-ahead. The building phase of approximately 33 months, starting with the ground-breaking in April 2006, is scheduled for completion when the plant takes up commercial operation in January 2009.

Builder-Owner and Partners

Builder-owner: E.ON Wasserkraft GmbH

Local construction supervision: LAHMEYER INTERNATIONAL

Building contractor consortium: Bilfinger Berger AG and VOITH SIEMENS Hydro Kraftwerkstechnik GmbH & Co. KG