Grimsel 2 – one of Switzerland‘s largest pumped storage hydro plant Grimsel Hydro – Hydroelectric competence centre Gauli Waterfall – a thunderous force of nature Brown trout in the KWO‘s residual flow reach Gelmer funicular – once built for heavy loads, nowadays a tourist attraction Grimseltor Innertkirchen – Village Centre with Tourist Center

PIONIEERING SPIRIT ZEST FOR ACTION THE POWER OF NATURE PARTNERSHIP ADVENTURE ALPINE REGION

The year 1908 marks the start of the successful history of the Moving towards renewable energy is Switzerland’s top The Grimsel and Susten region offers a breathtaking scen- Nature and technology form a symbiotic relationship in the The KWO’s power plants are open to inquisitive visitors. Not for anything in the world would the KWO move away Oberhasli hydroelectric company KWO. It was the time of tem- strategy to ensure a successful energy transition. The highly ery and at the same time highly energetic surrounding. Grimsel and Susten area. Using the power of water for en- Take a ride through the labyrinth of tunnels, shafts & cav- from this very unique place. The KWO is heavily connected erarious and pioneering spirited engineers visiting the Grimsel productive plants in the Grimsel region enable the KWO to This is the place where the power of water is turned into ergy production depends on a favourable relationship with erns, and observe the turbines and generators! Acquire to the mountainous world of the Oberhasli region. This is area and recognising its enormous potential for hydroelectric make a contribution to this superordinate goal. Several energy. The interaction between trusted machinery and Mother Nature. The KWO is Switzerland’s first hydroelectric some better understanding about the production of hydro- the only place where the natural supposition for a successful production. The first dam was built in 1925 – at that time it was innovative projects are ready to be carried into execution – modern technology enable the KWO to boost its production company with its own department of ecology; biodiversity electricity and its technology. In addition to this unique energy production is given: an abundance of water, and the world’s highest dam. Far-sighted entrepreneurship and inno- in order to increase the facilities’ efficiency, production at short notice, if required. Alpine hydroelectricity plays and landscape conservation are only two examples of the underground world, more highlights await to be discovered the geology and inclination are just right. Being one of vative thinking enabled the engineers to successfully transform and storage volumes. Bearing its own history in mind, in- an important part in stabilizing the electricity grid during department’s core business. Implementation of legal re- on the surface. The gondolas and historic funiculars bringing the region’s largest company (and therefore employer), water power into hydroelectric energy. This pioneering way of vestments by the KWO are always planned in a long-term times when the erratic production of solar energy and wind quirements concerning the protection and upgrading of the visitors to the reservoirs, the Trift suspension bridge or the the KWO is deeply embedded in the socio-economic envi- thinking still functions as basis for continuous innovative pro- horizon. power needs to be balanced – expeditious, efficient and downstream waterbodies is always guaranteed. Therefore, Historic Alpine Hotel Grimsel Hospiz, just to name a few. ronment of the region and is committed to regional cesses, always bound to a commitment of sustainability. emission-free. the energy production in this area can be considered as sus- development. tainable.

Hydroelectricity goes hand in hand with nature

MATTERHORN MONT BLANC ALETSCHHORN FINSTERAARHORN JUNGFRAU MÖNCH LAUTERAARHORN SCHRECKHORN WETTERHORN WELLHORN BRIENZER ROTHORN 4274 m a. s. l.

HASLITAL LAKE OBERAAR

INNERTKIRCHEN 622 m a. s. l.

GOMS

LAKE GRIMSEL GRIMSELPASS LAKE RÄTERICHSBODEN LAKE TOTEN

LAKE GELMER Visitors’ Centre Grimsel Hotels Transportation Expansion projects Reservoirs Power Plants

12 11 10 13 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 KWOheadoffice/GrimselHydro

Reichenbach Funicular Sidelhorn Gondola Sommerloch Gondola Oberaar Gondola Gondola Handeck –Gerstenegg Tälli Gondola Trift Gondola Gelmer Funicular Meiringen-Innertkirchen-Train (MIB) Replacement SpitallammDam Enlargement LakeGrimsel Grimsel 3PowerPlant Grimsel 1EPowerPlant Handeckfluh PowerPlant Trift ReservoirandPowerPlant Lake Engstlen Lake Mattenalp Lake Gelmer Lake Räterichsboden Lake Toten Lake Grimsel Lake Trübten Lake Oberaar Grimsel Nollen Grimsel 2 Grimsel 1 Handeck 3 Handeck 2E Handeck 2 Handeck 1 Innertkirchen 1E Innertkirchen 1 Innertkirchen 3 Innertkirchen 2 Hopflauenen 94 Fuhren Holiday andAlpineHutBäregg Restaurant andMountainLodgeOberaar Historic AlpineHotelGrimselHospiz Hotel andNatureResortHandeck Total Total

16 16 16 Shareholders 120 millionSwissFrancs Equity Capital Founded 1925 50 ² ² ² ⁄ ⁄ ⁄ ³ ³ ³

% % % % td Zürich Stadt Energie WasserBern Industrielle WerkeBasel BKW EnergieAG turbine output

Installed Maximum 1370 424 in MW 392 136 255 154 91 67 55 50 62 10 5 1 3 Wassereinzugsgebiet capacity

Interlaken / Thun / Bern 195 pump output cubic metres Kraftwerke 13 12 11 10 in million in MW 363 13 25 94 57 56 N 1 2 2 1 Grimsel Nollen Grimsel 2 Grimsel 1 Handeck 3 Handeck 2E Handeck 2 Handeck 1 Innertkirchen 1E Innertkirchen 1 Innertkirchen 3 Innertkirchen 2 Hopflauenen Fuhren Schreckhorn Lauteraarhorn Finsteraarhorn W 4274 m etterhorn Engstlensee

1850 m Aare ü. Gental M. Luzern /ZürichBasel Brünigpass

Ausbauvorhaben Seen H

6 Sustenpass G

Oberaarhorn a

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Handeck a Mattenalpsee Crystal cavern 4 1875 m Gaulisee

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s Oberaar s 2303 m

Gotthard / Tessin Oberalp / Gotthard / Tessin power plants. force todrivetheenormousturbinewheelswithin Thanks tothisdifferenceinelevation,thewatergains Innertkirchen representsthelowestpointat622 Finsteraarhorn isthehighestpointat4274 which weuse700millionsforourpowergeneration.The 980 Millioncubicmetersofwateraccumulateannually, ment area“InnertdemKirchet”.Onthisof450 percent ofSwitzerland’sarea.Thisisthesizecatch- 1 just afewtobe named. engineer, officeadministrator ortouristicprofessionsare chanic, facilitycaretaker,specialist forfuniculars,designing wide rangeofapprenticeships. Polytechnician,autome- apprenticeship positions.The KWO offersanexceptional 23 valuable tothealpineregionofOberhasli. tic occupations.Thisdiversityofjobsisexceptionalandvery wide rangeofprofessionsvaryfromhydroelectrictotouris - employees (275full-time)areworkingfortheKWO.The 360 tunnels areallhidden,underground. hall, surgetanks,penstocks,head-andtailracesaccess below surface,surroundedbyGrimselgranite–machine visible onthesurfaceastheywerebuiltandarenowlocated kilometres oftunnels.MosttheKWO’sfacilitiesarenot 1 est intheworldforashorttime. At thetimeofitscompletionin1932,thisdamwashigh- The GrimselDamistheKWO’shighest,with114 volume equals0.63 water. Theamountofconcreteinrelationtothestorage cumulatively holdingback195 was necessarytobuildtheKWO’seightdams,whichare cubic metresofconcrete.Thisgiganticamountconcrete 1 235450 in theirownhousehold. nual energyconsumptionofagoodmillionSwissresidents time whenitismostneeded.Thisoutputequaltothean- ally aspeakloadandregulatingenergy–producedatthe duced annuallybytheKWO’sthirteenpowerplants,gener- giga watt-hoursofelectricity.Thisamountenergyispro- 24 reservoirs. pumps, whichareabletotransportwaterbackhigher has thepossibilitytostoreenergythanksitspowerful amount ofenergyneededatanyparticulartime.TheKWO enormous capacityisinevitableinordertoprovidethe produced by28turbineswithinthirteenpowerplants.This megawatt installedcapacity.Thisistheamountofenergy 1370 own household. used byalmost4millionSwissresidentsperyearintheir energy storagecorrespondstothesameamountofwater can bestoredwithintheeightreservoirsofKWO.This million cubicmetres.Thisistheamountofwater,which 195 60 00 %. 000 000 cubicmetersof . whilst a. s.l., m m height. a. s.l. m km 2 ,

Impressum 2018 Publisher: Oberhasli Hydroelectric Company, Innertkirchen

Editor: KWO Communication Associated divisionsofKWO Design: Atelier KE, Meiringen Photos: KWO / Robert Bösch / Beat Kehrli / Daniel Göz Printing: Jordi AG, Belp Translation: KWO Communication Paper: Ecologically friendly & climate neutral production Renewable www.grimselwelt.ch hydroelectricity andwaterpower Tourism servicessurrounding www.grimselhydro.ch to customerrequirements implementation ofsolutionsaccording Understanding hydropowerand Efficient www.grimselstrom.ch Telephone +41339822011 CH-3862 Innertkirchen Grimselstrasse 19 Kraftwerke OberhasliAG Local