VERBUND and Salzburg AG are constructing a new power plant on the Salzach River

On the 23rd September 2016, groundbreaking took place for the Gries im Pinzgau power plant. The Gries power plant on the Salzach, with its 8.85 megawatt capacity and an annual production of 42 million kilowatt hours, will generate clean electricity from hydropower for more than 10,000 households, starting in 2019. The investment costs amount to approx. 50 million euros, which the project partners Salzburg AG and VERBUND will share.

Provincial governor Wilfried Haslauer: "The construction of the Gries power plant is an important part of the 2015 investment package by the Salzburg provincial government. The power plant investments in the order of around 50 million euros create a strong regional economic stimulus, create and safeguard jobs, deliver clean energy and contribute to attaining the climate objectives. Therefore the province is supporting the village's infrastructural measures related to the power plant with 4.1 million euros from the Village Compensation Fund (GAF). This is a significant contribution to make this important project possible."

Wolfgang Anzengruber, VERBUND Chairman of the Board: "Hydropower is of great importance in Salzburg and in all of Austria. For a successful energy future, hydropower plays a significant role. Not just for attaining the specified climate and energy objectives. Hydropower stands for a secure, clean and affordable electricity supply."

"The Gries power plant, with an output of 8.85 megawatts and an annual production of 42 million kilowatt hours, will generate electricity for well over 10,000 households and in this way will contribute to supply reliability in Salzburg," says Leonhard Schitter, Board Spokesman for Salzburg AG, and continues: "We want to materially contribute to shaping the energy revolution, and by 2020, increase the proportion of electricity from our own production to 60 percent. The Gries power plant, our 30th hydropower plant, will make a valuable contribution to this goal."

Domestic hydropower is an important pillar for a secure and clean electricity supply, and plays a leading role in carrying out the energy revolution. Salzburg province, with its topography, has resources that can be used practically and efficiently to obtain clean electricity from hydropower. By building the Gries power plant (municipality Bruck/Grossglocknerstrasse, Pinzgau), the project partners Salzburg AG and VERBUND are making an important contribution to attaining climate and energy objectives.

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