Gepatschspeicher

The Gepatschspeicher located in the Austrian state of Tyrol in the rear Kaunertal in the Ötztal Alps.

He feeds the Kaunertal power plant ( TIWAG ) in Prutz on a slope 793-895 m. The reservoir, which has a maximum of 138 million cubic meters of storage space and with full back 2.6 km ² area is fed by the streams of the Kaunertal that are partially via tunnel systems into the valley in the reservoir. In addition, is fed via tunnel water from the neighboring Pitztal and Radurschltal. Overall the catchment area is 279 square kilometers.

Was built the plant from 1961 to 1964. The rockfill dam was in the completion of 600 m and a height of 153 m the tenth highest in the world. The length of the dam is about 6 km. The Kaunertal power plant can produce 661 gigawatt hours of electricity in an average year. In the power house Prutz five Doppelpeltonturbinen are at a total capacity of 395 MW.

On Gepatschspeicher passes the toll Kaunertal Glacier Road.

Expansion project

Currently, the TIWAG, the operator of the power plant, for the construction of a pumped storage power station in Kaunertal as part of the chain of power plants Ötztal Pitztal- Kaunertal involved. The project, however, is economically and environmentally controversial, partly because of the operation of the proposed project based on the use of electricity from nuclear and coal power plants and large landscape interventions in part Natura 2000 protected areas would be necessary. The current, expanded version provides for the establishment of a second memory. In the first drafts of the new store was in " Fernergries " below the Gepatschferner and mostly within the Natura 2000 site. Existing since 2009, secret plans TIWAG to continue as the new location of the storage lake, the unspoiled Platzertal above Toesens the most easily realizable, came in May 2010 to the public. Previously, a sponsorship TIWAG in favor of the Kaunertal mayor in the amount of 40,000 euros had become known. In July 2010, the project for the environmental impact of the Tyrolean provincial government was filed. For water extraction, the Venter Ache, the Gurgler Ache and Ferwall and the king Bach should be stowed and discharged in Obergurgl. The WWF assessed the projects on the basis of the criteria catalog of the Federal Environment Ministry as " ecologically devastating" and several environmental organizations pointed out that the statement submitted by TIWAG water management master plan according to the law should target only the protection and restoration of rivers, but not on their energy useful. The expansion was beyond not make economic sense, TIWAG Board Wallnoefer called the power plant, however, as " indispensable".

Risk situation

The defrosting of the permafrost in the Alps destabilizes the mountain slopes, also in the vicinity of the reservoir. The slope of the Bliggferners slipped in 2007 from 20 centimeters a day and thus crack the glaciated hillside structure on rapidly. Thus, the probability of a sudden slipping grew up in the reservoir. The result would be expected with a tidal wave that overcomes the dam, in the worst case is also likely to damage the dam itself.

Gallery

Road over the dam, view from the east side.