Limberg III, Austria's most modern pumped storage power plant, was opened after four years of construction - a milestone for the secure and sustainable energy supply of tomorrow.
Securing the power supply of the future
The expansion of the Kaprun power plant group increases turbine output by 53% to a total of 1,382 megawatts. With an output of 480 MW, Limberg III is a key project for keeping the Austrian electricity system stable and flexible. While wind and solar plants supply energy depending on the weather, a pumped storage power plant balances out these fluctuations. It works like a "green battery": surplus energy is stored and fed back into the grid when needed. This ensures a secure supply even in times of crisis.
How does a pumped storage power plant work?
The principle is both simple and ingenious: when there is a surplus of electricity, for example when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing strongly, water is pumped from the lower basin into the higher storage basin using electrical energy. If the demand for electricity increases, the water flows back down again, driving turbines and thus generating climate-friendly electricity. This technology makes pumped storage power plants an indispensable buffer in the energy system.
Ecological responsibility with regional cooperation
VERBUND paid particular attention to environmental protection. Accompanying measures such as the near-natural renaturalisation of areas or the targeted protection of Alpine habitats show that the energy transition and nature can be in harmony. Such projects preserve biodiversity, create new retreats for animals and plants and make construction ecologically justifiable.
In addition, Limberg III was realised in close cooperation with regional partners. This cooperation not only strengthens regional value creation, but also creates trust in large-scale projects that secure the future of energy supply.
Limberg III: #schongenial, how state-of-the-art technology and ecological responsibility work together.
