Underground construction |
Digging for a greener future
Major schemes in Austria, China, and Germany are applying advanced underground construction techniques – from alliance-driven alpine tunnelling to steep-gradient mechanised excavation and deep-shaft enlargement – to deliver new hydropower and pumped storage capacity
Right: SWIETELSKYhas signed a deal for the main construction lot of the new Imst-Haiming power plant n Austria
WHEN IT COMES TO meeting the world’s urgent need for clean, reliable power, engineers are literally going to great depths. Across Europe and Asia, vast underground caverns, inclined tunnels, and high- pressure shafts are being carved out to house the next generation of hydroelectric and pumped storage power plants. These projects combine state-of-the-art tunnelling technology with innovative construction partnerships – pushing technical boundaries while ensuring energy systems are ready for a renewable- powered future. The stories unfolding in Austria’s Tyrol, China’s Hunan Province, and Germany’s Baden-Württemberg may be thousands of kilometres apart, but they are bound by a common mission: to make large-scale, sustainable energy storage and generation possible, even in the most challenging environments.
Partnership in the Alps
In Innsbruck this spring, Austrian construction firm SWIETELSKY marked another major milestone in its tunnelling legacy. On 21 March 2025, the company signed an alliance contract with Tiroler Wasserkraft AG (TIWAG) and partners for the main construction lot
30 | September 2025 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
of the new Imst-Haiming power plant – an ambitious hydroelectric project with a total value of €450 million. The scope of the work includes: a 14km headrace tunnel with a surge tank and underwater tunnel; a vast cavern with access and drainage tunnels; and the creation of an underwater basin. The facility will harness alpine water power to produce clean energy for decades to come. Peter Krammer, CEO of Swietelsky AG, describes it as much more than another contract win: “Together with our alliance partners, we are creating lasting value for the future by providing clean energy solutions. This is about enabling a more sustainable future for all.” The alliance model is key to this vision. Building
on previous successes in projects such as Kühtai, Tauernmoos, and Kaunertal, SWIETELSKY has once again chosen a collaborative contracting approach. By involving Implenia Österreich GmbH and Ing. Hans Bodner Bau GesmbH & Co KG from the earliest planning stages, the team has optimised designs and smoothed potential bottlenecks before breaking ground. The approach – known as early contractor
involvement – focuses on cooperation, fair risk sharing,
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