History
South Tyrol has over 100 years of know-how in power generation. The use of water power began at the end of the 19th century. In 1897 the first power plant came onstream at Mühlen in the Puster Valley. In the same year, the first major hydropower plant in South Tyrol was created at Töll near Meran. Before the First World War plants were built in Toblach, St. Ulrich, Schlanders, Mals, Bruneck, Brixen, Kaltern, Wolkenstein, Welsberg, Latsch, Sterzing, Welschnofen, Trafoi, Olang and Schnals.
An example: At the end of the 19th century, tourism flourished in Toblach – and the new hotels needed electrical energy. Tourism pioneers and farmers therefore campaigned for the construction of a power station. The Elektrizitätswerk Toblach AG was founded on 14 October 1899, and in 1901 the Gratsch power station supplied its first electricity. Production continued to expand: in 1926, the Flodige power station in the Höhlensteintal valley followed, in 1959 the Elektrizitätswerk Toblach AG opened the Schmelze power station, and in 2012 the Silvesterbach power station was built as a joint project with the municipality of Dobbiaco and the Toblach-Innichen district heating plant.
After South Tyrol’s annexation to Italy, power plants were built in Marling (1924-25) and Pfitsch (1927). As part its policy of self-sufficiency, the Fascist regime invested in the exploitation of South Tyrolean hydropower. In 1931 the Kardaun plant began operation as Europe’s largest hydroelectric plant and in 1938 the power plant in Waidbruck was opened. Before the outbreak of the Second World War, plants in South Tyrol supplied 12% of Italy’s power consumption.
In 1941 work began on the construction of the dam on the Reschen Lake in the Upper Vinschgau Valley. Only after the disastrous failure of the Vajont dam at Longarone in October 1963 did Italy cease construction of other dams in the Alps. Local energy production was largely removed from the influence of the provincial administration in South Tyrol. For several decades, Italian energy companies – in particular the state-owned concern ENEL – exploited South Tyrol’s “white gold”.
An example: At the end of the 19th century, tourism flourished in Toblach – and the new hotels needed electrical energy. Tourism pioneers and farmers therefore campaigned for the construction of a power station. The Elektrizitätswerk Toblach AG was founded on 14 October 1899, and in 1901 the Gratsch power station supplied its first electricity. Production continued to expand: in 1926, the Flodige power station in the Höhlensteintal valley followed, in 1959 the Elektrizitätswerk Toblach AG opened the Schmelze power station, and in 2012 the Silvesterbach power station was built as a joint project with the municipality of Dobbiaco and the Toblach-Innichen district heating plant.
After South Tyrol’s annexation to Italy, power plants were built in Marling (1924-25) and Pfitsch (1927). As part its policy of self-sufficiency, the Fascist regime invested in the exploitation of South Tyrolean hydropower. In 1931 the Kardaun plant began operation as Europe’s largest hydroelectric plant and in 1938 the power plant in Waidbruck was opened. Before the outbreak of the Second World War, plants in South Tyrol supplied 12% of Italy’s power consumption.
In 1941 work began on the construction of the dam on the Reschen Lake in the Upper Vinschgau Valley. Only after the disastrous failure of the Vajont dam at Longarone in October 1963 did Italy cease construction of other dams in the Alps. Local energy production was largely removed from the influence of the provincial administration in South Tyrol. For several decades, Italian energy companies – in particular the state-owned concern ENEL – exploited South Tyrol’s “white gold”.
South Tyrolean Energy
Indigenous
Decentralised
Renewable
Only in 1972, with the new autonomy statute, were important responsibilities in the energy sector transferred to the province, such as the award of concessions for water offtakes, an indispensable requirement for the running of hydropower
plants. In 1994 the first biomass-fired district heating plant was opened at Rasen-Antholz in the Puster Valley. In 1998 the province of South Tyrol established its own energy provider, SEL, which in the following years grew to become the
largest player on the South Tyrol electricity market.
The company participates in joint ventures to operate large hydropower stations in South Tyrol. SEL and Edison have since 2008 been running seven hydropower plants via their joint company Hydros AG. In 2011 SEL and Edison set up Seledison to operate two hydropower plants in the Vinschgau Valley. In 2010 SEL and ENEL joined forces in SE Hydropower, which possesses 17 power plants. In 2011 the SEL subsidiary SELNET took over the running of the ENEL grid.
In January 2015 SEL plc acquires ENEL’s shares of the San Floriano, Egna, plant. In April SEL buys the ENEL shares to SE hydropower plc and thus becomes the sole owner. In December 2015 SEL takes over Edison’s shares in SE Hydros and Seledison as part of an exchange operation.
All hydroelectric power stations in South Tyrol are currently under ‘local’ ownership. The decisive step was taken at the end of 2015. On December 22, Etschwerke AG — an energy provider for the cities of Bolzano and Merano — and SEL merged to form the new Alperia AG. Alperia — the largest player in the South Tyrolean energy market — is a public company in which the Autonomous Province of Bolzano–South Tyrol currently holds 46.38 percent, the municipalities of Bolzano and Merano each hold 21 percent, and SELFIN, a consortium of more than 100 South Tyrolean municipalities, holds 11.62 percent. The Alperia Group operates 35 hydroelectric power plants and seven district heating plants in South Tyrol, supplies 423,000 customers with electricity via a 9,348-kilometer network, and is therefore one of the major energy companies in Italy.
plants. In 1994 the first biomass-fired district heating plant was opened at Rasen-Antholz in the Puster Valley. In 1998 the province of South Tyrol established its own energy provider, SEL, which in the following years grew to become the
largest player on the South Tyrol electricity market.
The company participates in joint ventures to operate large hydropower stations in South Tyrol. SEL and Edison have since 2008 been running seven hydropower plants via their joint company Hydros AG. In 2011 SEL and Edison set up Seledison to operate two hydropower plants in the Vinschgau Valley. In 2010 SEL and ENEL joined forces in SE Hydropower, which possesses 17 power plants. In 2011 the SEL subsidiary SELNET took over the running of the ENEL grid.
In January 2015 SEL plc acquires ENEL’s shares of the San Floriano, Egna, plant. In April SEL buys the ENEL shares to SE hydropower plc and thus becomes the sole owner. In December 2015 SEL takes over Edison’s shares in SE Hydros and Seledison as part of an exchange operation.
All hydroelectric power stations in South Tyrol are currently under ‘local’ ownership. The decisive step was taken at the end of 2015. On December 22, Etschwerke AG — an energy provider for the cities of Bolzano and Merano — and SEL merged to form the new Alperia AG. Alperia — the largest player in the South Tyrolean energy market — is a public company in which the Autonomous Province of Bolzano–South Tyrol currently holds 46.38 percent, the municipalities of Bolzano and Merano each hold 21 percent, and SELFIN, a consortium of more than 100 South Tyrolean municipalities, holds 11.62 percent. The Alperia Group operates 35 hydroelectric power plants and seven district heating plants in South Tyrol, supplies 423,000 customers with electricity via a 9,348-kilometer network, and is therefore one of the major energy companies in Italy.