| Owner | VERBUND Hydro Power GmbH |
|---|---|
| Operator | VERBUND Hydro Power GmbH |
| Commissioning | 1976 |
| Type | Run-of-river power plant |
| Country | Austria |
| Region | Lower Austria |
| Waters | Danube |
| Output | 328 MW |
| Annual output | 2,004,196 MWh |
| Turbine | Kaplan |
| Connectivity | Fish bypass |
Historical information
During construction of the Altenwörth power plant in the 1970s, the confluences of the rivers Kamp, Traisen and Krems were realigned and straightened. In particular, the Traisen, one of Lower Austria’s biggest rivers, was extended by 7.5 km to flow into the Danube downstream of the power plant. The riverbed has since run in an even, straight line through the floodplain between Traismauer and Zwentendorf. This section of river offered little habitat for typical animals and plants and was not connected to the surrounding landscape or the bodies of water in the floodplain. The ability of fish to pass through the area was complicated by obstacles and in some places impossible.
After three years under construction, the biggest land restoration project “EU-LIFE+ Traisen” was completed in 2016. The goal was to redesign the course of the river and to connect the new Traisen with surrounding bodies of water and the floodplain landscape. A lively new floodplain landscape was created in the lower reaches of the Traisen between Traismauer and Zwentendorf. The ecological upgrade of the habitat will significantly improve the variety of species in this part of the Natura2000 region of Tullnerfelder Au.
