Pradapunt: Concession application for new hydroelectric power plant

23.10.2024 - The ‘Wasserkraft Plessur’ project consortium has submitted the concession application for the new Pradapunt hydroelectric power plant to the municipality of Arosa (GR). Axpo and consortium partners Arosa Energie and IBC Energie Wasser Chur plan to invest around CHF 80 million in the project, thereby reaffirming their commitment to the expansion of renewable energies in Switzerland. The new power plant could supply around 10,000 households with clean energy.

The planning for the Pradapunt hydroelectric power plant has reached an important milestone with the submission of the concession. The power plant will utilise the gradient of the Plessur river in the Schanfigg valley between Litzirüti and Molinis (Pradapunt district), has an installed capacity of 10 MW and can produce 42 gigawatt hours of electricity from hydropower annually. This is enough to meet the electricity needs of around 10,000 households and makes a significant contribution to strengthening the security of the electricity supply. The new power plant would close the existing gap in the power plant cascade on the Plessur and eliminate the unfavourable flow fluctuations for nature at the Litzirüti power plant.

The ‘Wasserkraft Plessur’ consortium consists of three partners: Arosa Energie, IBC Energie Wasser Chur and Axpo. They had already started planning the Pradapunt power plant together in 2014 – but then suspended the project in 2017 due to the economic outlook. The consortium resumed its work in 2023 because the framework conditions have improved in recent years. The consortium plans to invest around CHF 80 million in the new Pradapunt hydroelectric power plant. This move reaffirms Axpo and the consortium partners' commitment to expanding renewable energies and strengthening Switzerland's energy security.

Investment and construction decision in 2027 at the earliest

The submission of the concession application for the Pradapunt power plant marks the start of the two-stage approval procedure, which includes a concession approval and a building application procedure. This will take several years, meaning that the consortium partners would not be able to make an investment and construction decision before 2027 at the earliest. In October 2024, the Arosa municipal council will decide on the concession application and is expected to present it to the municipal parliament on 28 November 2024, before a final referendum can be held on 9 February 2025. If the municipality grants the concession, the consortium will then submit the concession approval application to the cantonal authorities. This application will also be made available for public inspection. After a construction period of around three years, the power plant would not be able to commence operations until 2031 at the earliest.