Hieflau-Erzbach Run-of-River Power Plant

VERBUND power plant Hieflau-Erzbach is a run-of-river power plant situated on the Erzbach and in the municipality of Hieflau in Styria.

The Hieflau-Erzbach power plant was built between 1953 and 1956 at the same time as the neighbouring Hieflau power plant. The power plant was modernised in stages, starting in 1989. A generator was replaced, the bedload channel and weir system extended. Today, the run-of-river power plant generates an annual average of 1 GWh of electricity entirely from hydropower.
 
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Owner VERBUND Hydro Power GmbH
Operator VERBUND Hydro Power GmbH
Commissioning 1956
Type Run-of-river power plant
Country Austria
Region Styria
Waters Erzbach, Enns
Output 01 MW
Annual output 1,032 MWh
Turbine Kaplan
Connectivity Fish bypass is in the planning process
Environmental protection at VERBUND

Ecology & environmental protection

The construction of a fish bypass is currently being planned.

The entire plant group of the Styrian hydropower plants has been awarded the environmental certificate ISO 14001. The power plants on the rivers Mur and Enns not only fulfil the statutory requirements but also focus on high environmental standards and technical innovations. The goal is the efficient use of hydropower and the balance between economy and ecology. The effectiveness and benefit of the environmental management system are mainly the responsibility of our employees, who undergo constant training and development in this area.

Wherever ecologically valuable and technically feasible, VERBUND has set itself the goal of guaranteeing the continuity of flow for domestic fish and aquatic life at the locations of its hydropower plants. By 2025, VERBUND will invest 280 million euros on the implementation of fish bypasses and other ecological structural measures.

 
Our latest conservation projects
Turbines and generators: A Kaplan turbine is located in the machine hall. With its four-blade, 1.125 metre impeller, the turbine has a nominal output of 300 kW at an intake capacity of 5 m³/sec. The subsequent 300 kVA three-phase generator has a nominal voltage of 400 V.

Transformers: The generated energy is raised to 30 kV via a 400 kVA machine transformer and fed into the regional grid of STEWEAG.

Weir system: The Erzbach is dammed to a height of 6 metres with a wooden weir upstream of the Hieflau power plant and the water fed into the turbine. For the removal of the bedload, there is a dedicated bedload channel at the foot of the weir, which leads to the Enns parallel to the tailrace.