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Wasserkraftwerk in der Freudenau
Photo: BMLFUW

Water power and ecology – a contradiction?

Our rivers are living environments which are to be preserved and to be protected. The EU Water Framework Directive stipulates that a “good ecological status” has to be achieved in all waters all over Europe by 2015 with a possible extension of the deadline until 2027.
 

A current study shows the range of possible effects of measures to reach these goals on the utilization of water power. The results make clear that the effects present themselves in a very differentiated way and depend on the type and the size of the power station and on the operational strategy of the plant. Related to the total production of hydropower in Austria this would result in production losses between 2 and 7%.
 
Apart from the monetary losses due to the curbed production, financial impacts on the energy industry, resulting from the costs of the generation of ecological permeability of waters within the next 20 years by means of the construction of fish ladders and the connection of subsidiary water bodies, are to be expected as well. This would mean for small-scale power stations investment costs of approximately € 4.5 million per year until 2027, for large-scale power stations it could even entail costs of up to € 7 million per year for this period.
 
The results were presented to the public on 30 November 2005 at a press conference of the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Life, Mr. Werner Wutscher, the spokesman of the production sector of the Austrian Association of Electricity Companies (VEÖ), Mr. Herbert Schröfelbauer, and the president of the Austrian Association for the promotion of Small Hydropower Stations, Mr. Hanns Kottulinsky. 
 

Further information can be found at press text.    

The study can be found on the internet at publication data base.

09.12.2009, Lebensministerium VII/5

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