Verbund today writes another chapter of Austrian energy history in Kaprun. After around four years of construction, the latest pumped storage power plant in Austria was ceremoniously opened in the presence of a high -ranking representative: Inside from politics and business. By providing highly efficient flexibility, Limberg III makes a decisive contribution to maintaining the network stability and security of supply of the country. With the expansion of the “green battery” in the heart of Austria, an important component for successful energy transformation is implemented.
“With Limberg III we set another milestone for the energy transformation in Austria,” emphasizes Verbund CEO Michael Strugl. “This power plant is our answer to the growing challenges for the electricity system through the expansion of volatile renewable energies from the wind and sun and a key project for the supply of care of Austria. Pump storage is the large -scale green battery of the nation and Kaprun. of which around 75 percent of the added value in Austria and 40 percent remain in the state of Salzburg. “
Federal Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer adds: “A successful energy transition needs storage – you are the central set of power for security of supply, network stability and the integration of renewable energies. Especially for a country like Austria with its topography and hydropower tradition, this is a great opportunity: memory is our natural strength and our contribution to a stable energy system.
Limberg III is a strong future project for the Austria location. It stands for what we need: safe energy, regional added value and highly qualified jobs. With the latest technology, this power plant is a prime example of innovative infrastructure that makes our energy system sustainable, efficient and future -proof. It is clear in an international environment characterized by uncertainties: a competitive economy needs a stable, independent energy supply. Pumped storage power plants such as Limberg III are the batteries of the Alps and Austria’s contribution to the energy transition. They are essential for the stability and crisis safety of the European energy system and strengthen the economic basis of our country. ”
“The power plant in Kaprun is closely linked to the history of the state of Salzburg and stands for reconstruction, engineering in the high mountains and the use of clean hydropower. This story is continued with the new pumped memory power plant and the expansion of the Limberg lock. The Limberg III project is once again showing that Austrian companies can implement large -scale projects quickly, environmentally friendly. Salzburg and network a significant contribution to energy security in Europe, ”says Governor Karoline Edtstadler.
„Until further notice, pumped stores are the only long-term tried and tested and highly efficient large storage technology. Verbund currently operates systems with 2,600 MW of turbine and 2,300 MW of pumping performance. With the commissioning of Reißeck II+ with 45 MW and today’s commissioning of Limberg III with 480 MW, we increase our flexibility portfolio of pumpturbines by over 20 %. With the ongoing increase in the Limberg lock, we create additional storage volume and thereby make an important contribution to future system stability in Austria, ”explains Coo Achim Kaspar, which is responsible for Waterraft on the board.
“With Limberg III we have created a technical masterpiece that sets new standards in terms of efficiency and flexibility. The system can call up its full performance in turbine and pumping within a few minutes and is therefore perfectly suitable to compensate for the fluctuating production from wind and solar power. As with the twin power plant Limberg II, we use the gradient between the two existing high-mounted reserves. And water-folding water, with Limberg III, we control the two pumpturbins in order to be able to respond to the needs of the electricity system even faster and more precisely.
Ceremonial ceremony in the Limberg III site
Over 400 guests accepted the invitation from Verbund to Kaprun. The opening ceremony for the Limberg III pump memory became a special event by the presence of high -ranking personalities from politics and business. Among the congratulations included the Federal Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer and Markus Marterbauer as well as Governor Karoline Edtstadler and State Councilor Josef Schwaiger. The ecumenical blessing was jointly carried out by General Vicar Harald Mattel of the Archdiocese of Salzburg and superintendent Olivier Dantine of the Evangelical Superintendur Salzburg-Tyrol.
Kaprun power plant group with a new Limberg III pump memory
The Limberg III pumping memory is designed as an expansion of the existing Kaprun power plant group and, with 480 MW, increases the existing turbine output by 53 % to 1,382 MW and the pump output by 75 % to 1,120 mW. The fully underground cavern power plant has two speed variable Francis pumpturbins, which offer an output between 20 and 240 MW per unit in the turbine direction and in the pumping between 100 and 240 MW per unit for network stabilization.
The size of the power cubes is comparable to the central nave of the Viennese Stephansdom, extends over 62 x 25 x 43 meters (L x W x H) and comprises five floors. The outbreak of the 530,000 m³ of material took a total of about eight months.
After the positive approval notification for the environmental impact assessment in July 2017, the investment decision for Limberg III was passed in March 2021 after repeated examination of the energy management framework. In addition to the developments in the electricity market, the decision was also included in the commissioning of the salt construction management, which was one of the essential technical requirements for the systemic operation of the pump storage in the 380 KV network.
Together with the decision to establish the pumping memory, the implementation of the enlargement of the storage column of the high mountain rescue store was decided. For this purpose, the Limberg lock completed in 1951 with an impressive height of 120 meters by 2027 is increased by 8.7 meters. This technical measure can be implemented by adequate security reserves of the inventory lock, which increases the user content by 12.7 million m³ to 93.9 million m³. This volume increase of around 15.6 % means valuable storage capacity for the times of electricity surpluses.
Comprehensive ecological accompanying measures and regional stakeholder management
As part of the construction of Limberg III, numerous ecological accompanying measures were also implemented. Due to the natural design of the buildings and renaturation of former construction site areas, the project makes a sustainable contribution to the preservation of alpine biodiversity. The valuable top floor was gently removed, stored and brought back in a targeted manner, which can result in species-rich alpine pastures and pastures as well as new forest areas. In the sensitive high-rise sites, the innovative seed-solid combination process with location-based seed mixtures is used-a procedure that is considered a showcase project in the Alpine region.
A special highlight is the 26 -hectare European protection area “Alpines Schwemmland Drossen”, which extends to the barrier base of the thorough lock. There, particularly valuable alpine habitats such as alluvial countries, willow bushes, limestone and limestone rocks are preserved there. In addition, a project is implemented in the area below the lock, in which traces from the construction period of the 1950s are also removed by renaturation.
In cooperation with the Kaprun glacier railways, Verbund is building an innovative tunnel system to protect amphibians on the access road to the two high mountain lakes in the rear Kaprunertal. Over a length of 580 meters, 18 enables the animals to cross the access road safe. The protection system has been in operation since the end of June 2025 and will be maintained by network in the future.
In the sense of a lived neighborhood, Verbund proactively launched the information on the planned construction and Ökomass take away immediately after the construction decision. By setting up your own contact point, ongoing inquiries could be answered promptly and in detail.