Vianden Pumped Storage Plant
A hydroelectric peaking power plant in Luxembourg
Location : Just north of Vianden in Diekirch District, Luxembourg, bordering Germany
First pump-generators commissioned in 1962; tenth added by 1976
Installed Generating Capacity 1,096 megawatts as of 1976; expected increase to 1,296 megawatts with the eleventh pump-generator
The Vianden Pumped Storage Plant is a major hydroelectric facility located near Vianden, Luxembourg. It uses the pumped-storage method to generate electricity and serves as a peaking power plant. Here are the key details about the Vianden hydroelectric works:
Technical Specifications
- Total installed capacity: 1,296 MW (1,738,000 hp) with 11 units
- Unit 11 added in 2015: 195 MW in turbine mode, 189 MW in pump mode
- Head: 295 m
- Voltage: 15.75 kV
- Speed: 333 rpm
- Runner diameter: 4,262 mm
Construction History
- Construction began in 1959, with the first 4 pump-generators commissioned in 1962/63
- A 10th unit was added in 1976, bringing total capacity to 1,096 MW
- An 11th unit with 200 MW capacity was added in a separate cavern in 2015, increasing total capacity to 1,296 MW
- The upper and lower reservoirs were expanded by 500,000 m³ each to accommodate the 11th unit
Ownership and Operation
- Owned by Société électrique de l’Our (SEO) and RWE
- Generates an average of 1,650 GWh annually
- Efficiency of the pumped-storage method is around 70-80%
The Vianden Pumped Storage Plant is the largest of its kind in Europe, providing renewable peak power to the European grid. Its expansion over the decades has allowed it to keep up with increasing demand for balancing power in the region
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