Hydropower

Plant Kops II
The new pump storage plant
of Vorarlberger Illwerke AG
in Gaschurn-Partenen

Hydropower Plant Kops II

The Vorarlberger Illwerke AG (Illwerke) operate in total nine Alpine Hydroelectric Power Plants in the most western part of Austria in Vorarlberg (Montafon and Walgau) . The first power plant, the Vermunt plant
started operation in 1930. In the course of different extension programs
a compound group of Hydroelectric Power Plants and water resources
was implemented until 1984.
The liberalization of the electricity market and the rapid development
of wind energy with wind-forces that cannot be influenced have led
to an increasing demand for peak and control energy as well as for the
possibility of a pump storage in large Alpine reservoirs. Illwerke responded to this demand by developing and constructing the highly efficient
pump storage Power Plant Kops II.

Important benefits and synergies

of Hydropower Plant Kops II:
n 450 MW additional turbine and pump capacity for flexible
supply of peak and control energy for the European grid
n Expansion of combined use of other renewable sources of

energy, e.g. wind energy

n Strong positioning in the liberalized electricity market
n Increase in the economic viability of the entire Upper Ill
Lner Reservoir hydroelectric scheme
n Value-added activities and economic boost for the Province
of Vorarlberg and the Montafon

In March 2003 the supervisory boards of the Illwerke made the policy
decision to build Hydropower Plant Kops II into the existing Upper Ill
Lner Reservoir scheme ( = power plants in the Montafon) for the generation of highly efficient peak and control energy. Hydropower Plant
Kops II increases the capacity of Illwerke in pumping mode by 85% and
in turbine operation by 36%. No additional water resources are needed,
as Kops II uses the existing Kops Reservoir as upper reservoir and the
existing balancing reservoir Rifa as lower reservoir.

Geographical situation

The Hydropower Plant Kops II is located parallel to the existing Kops

Plant I in the Inner Montafon. The complete power plant in the municipal territory of Gaschurn extends from Kops (1,800 m) over Tafamunt
(1,700 m) into the valley to Rifa (1,000 m) between the tourist centres
Gaschurn and Partenen.
All parts of the plant, including the power house, are situated inside
the mountain. Only the 220 kV switching station executed with space
saving indoor SF6 technology and access roads and gates to the facilities
situated inside the mountain are visible.

March 20th, 2003

Policy decision to build the

Hydropower Plant Kops II

April 2003

Initiation of preliminary examination

procedure for environmental impact
assessment (EIA)

September 2003

Application for implementation of an

environmental impact assessment (EIA)

March 2004

Verbal permission request procedure

pursuant to the law on the environmental
impact assessment

July 2004

Definitive decision by the supervisory board

of Illwerke to proceed with construction

August 2004

Building permit becomes legally valid

September 2004

Start of construction

End of 2007/
beginning 2008

Planned commissioning of the first

set of machines

June 2008

Commissioning of machines 2 and 3

Construction time

3.5 years

Sum invested

approx. EUR 360 million

the concept
Hydropower Plant Kops II has been designed as pump storage plant. The
power plant uses the head between Kops Reservoir (1,800m) and Partenen-Rifa (1,000 m). In turbine mode the water from Kops Reservoir
will flow through a pressure tunnel and a pressure shaft to the power
house. The hydroelectric generating sets, consisting of turbines, pumps
and generators are situated in an underground power house, the transformers are situated in the adjacent transformer cavern. The water used
in Hydropower Plant Kops II then flows through a tailrace tunnel into
the balancing reservoir Rifa, that serves as tailrace balancing reservoir
and as pump water reservoir.
The 220kV switching station for Hydropower Plant Kops II is designed
in space saving indoor SF6 technology and is located near the existing
switching yard of Rifa Plant. The energy is transported between Hydropower Plant Kops II and the switch yard Brs using the existing 220 kV
line from Partenen to Brs.

Gaschurn

Versalspitze
2,000 m

valve

Kops
Reservoir
1,809 m

cham

surge tank

ber

Rifa

Hydropower Plant Kops II

cavern

Access to underground
power house

press
ure tu

nnel
press
u
shaft re

access tunnel
L 188
balancing reservoir
Rifa 1,005 m

Partenen

Characteristic data
n

Installed capacity in turbine mode

450 MW

Installed capacity in pump mode

450 MW

Capacity of generators

600 MVA

Height of fall

approx. 800 m

the technology

The Hydropower Plant Kops II is a pump storage plant that can be used
to regulate the grid in turbine mode as well as in pump mode and is
located parallel to Hydropower Plant Kops I.

surge tank

pressure tunnel

System components
n Intake / outlet structures in Kops Reservoir
n

Valve chamber and bypass shaft

Pressure tunnel (Versal tunnel II)

Two chamber surge tank with inclined shaft and 3 throttles

Pressure shaft

High-head manifold piping

Underground power house

- machine cavern
- 3 hydroelectric generating sets with Pelton turbine,
motor generator, clutch and storage pump
- transformer cavern

Tailwater system
- 3 compressed air surge chambers
- tailrace to Rifa balancing reservoir
- two chamber trailrace surge tank
- low pressure manifold pipes

Outlet / intake structures in Rifa balancing reservoir

220-kV-SF6 switching station

gallery Tafamunt

pressure shaft

underground power house

tailrace tunnel

the technology

Headrace
Pressure tunnel Versal tunnel II
The pressure tunnel runs parallel to the existing pressure tunnel of Hydropower Plant Kops I and was excavated mechanically by a doubleshield tunnel boring machine. The favourable geological and hydrogeological conditions permitted a lining of the 5.5 km long pressure tunnel
with precast concrete elements. This type of lining is a construction method perfectly adapted to the high-alpine location of the construction
site.
n Length

5,552 m

Internal diameter

4.90 m

Longitudinal gradient

0.4 %

Surge tank Aussertafamunt

With control procedures, e.g. changing from turbine into pump operation, the water flow must abruptly be slowed down in the tunnel and
has to be accelerated into the opposite direction. In order to avoid high
dynamic pressures that would have an additional effect upon the head

surge tank

pressure tunnel

race system, certain amounts of water can get out towards the surge
tank. The surge tank is sort of an equalizing reservoir reducing the pressure fluctuations and/or limiting the high dynamic pressures in the entire headwater.
The surge tank Aussertafamunt is located in the transition area from the
pressure tunnel to the pressure shaft and consists of a lower chamber
with two connections to the pressure tunnel, an inclined shaft with a
throttle in its lower end, as well as of an upper chamber and a ventilation shaft leading into the access tunnel Tafamunt.

Lower chamber

total length 250 m

internal diameter 7.00 m

Inclined shaft

length 185 m
internal diameter 5.10 m
longitudinal gradient 49

Upper chamber

length 235 m
internal diameter 6.20 m

discharge shaft
Kops Reservoir
valve chamber
gallery
Oberwald

gallery
Tafamunt
pressure shaft

the technology

inclined shaft

Pressure shaft Aussertafamunt

The pressure shaft surmounts a gradient of approx. 700 m. The pressure shaft of approx. 1.1 km length has been cut by a tunnel boring machine from Rifa towards Aussertafamunt and has subsequently been lined
with steel pipes. This steel lining has been backfilled in sections and
grouted.
Pressure shaft

length 1,135 m
internal diameter 3.80 m
longitudinal gradient 80.0 % (38.7)

n Flat track

length 60 m
internal diameter 3.80 m

surge tank
upper chamber

pressure tunnel

ventilation shaft

gallery
Tafamunt

surge tank
lower chamber
mucking shaft

pre-assembling
cavern

Distribution pipes tapering to 2,20 m

with connecting shut-off valves


internal diameter 1.50 m
n

Underground power house

The underground power house is the central element of the power plant
and is located approx. 150 m inside the mountain in Gaschurn-Rifa.
Access is possible amongst others via the access tunnel. The power
house is most impressive for its extraordinary dimensions. If we consider the height-width ratio, this cavern is one of the largest rock cavities
in the world. The rock excavation causes strains on the local rock mass,
which constitutes a real challenge as to rock mechanics.

pressure shaft
machine cavern

tailrace surge
tank

distribution pipes
access tunnel underground power house
tailrace tunnel
outlet structure

access portal

The cavity has to withstand the high forces that act on it from any side.
Sophisticated static calculations and mathematical simulations of the
geological conditions had to be made. Regular measuring provided information about the real situation. The cavity rock face was supported
by numerous rock anchors and a shotcrete lining. After completion of
the cavity solid concrete foundations, walls and ceilings were built for
the installation of the heavy machines. The underground power house
is equipped with a combined crane (2 x 130 tons) necessary for the installation of the machines and, after the commissioning, for the maintenance works.

the technology
turbine

Transformer cavern
Volume of rock excavated approx. 9,800 cubic meters, length approx.
35 m, width approx. 16 m, height approx. 19 m. Three transformers
connected via isolated-phase bus ducts with the generators.

valve tunnel
pressure shaft

compressed air chamber

tailrace tunnel
pump rising line

generator
clutch
pump

pump intake

Machine cavern
Volume of rock excavated: approx. 113,000 cubic meters. Width max.
approx. 30.5 m, height max. approx. 60.5 m, length approx. 88 m.
The total height of the vertically installed hydroelectric generating sets
consisting of a three-stage storage pump, an hydraulic clutch, a motor
generator and a six-nozzled Pelton turbine is approx. 38 m.
Characteristic data
n

Number of hydroelectric generating sets 3

Nominal speed

500 rev/min

Maximum capacity in turbine operation

3 x 150 MW

Pump driving power

3 x 150 MW

220-kV energy transport via cables to the indoor 220-kV-SF6 switching station next to the switching yard of Rifa Plant. The energy is
transported between Hydropower Plant Kops II and the transformer
station Brs using the existing 220 kV line from Partenen to Brs.
tailrace
surge tank
machine cavern
transformer
cavern

pressure shaft
shaft bottom cavern
distribution pipes
valve tunnel

access tunnel

ILL
L188

mucking tunnel

tailrace tunnel

reservoir outlet

cable subway

balancing reservoir Rifa

the technology

Tailrace

Compressed air surge chamber

The tailrace (turbine discharge and pump feed) crosses underground

the road L188, the river Ill and the embankment of the balancing reservoir Rifa. The reservoir outlet and intake works are located in the balancing reservoir Rifa. The water of Kops Reservoir used for the turbine
operation is temporarily stored in the Rifa Reservoir and is returned in
pump mode from here into Kops Reservoir.
The tailrace system from the underground power house to the outlet structure in the balancing reservoir Rifa comprises the following
components:

compressed air chamber M3

3 partly steel lined chambers of 45 m length each, section 52 m3, with

annexed culvert and a 77 m long connection tunnel to the tailrace tunnel.

Surge tank Gufel

47 m long lower chamber, differential shaft with internal diameter of
12 m and height of 31 m and smaller upper surge chamber.

Tailrace tunnel
Total length: 267 m
Maximum internal diameter in the area of the rock: 7 m; internal diameter in the area of the steel lined track of alluvions: 5.8 m. Common
turbine discharge and pump feed works with roller gate in the balancing reservoir Rifa.

compressed air chamber M2

compressed air chamber M1
transformer cavern

reservoir outlet

tailrace
surge tank
underground power house

pump water
tunnel

cooling and firefighting water tank

tailrace tunnel
connection tunnel

culvert

Power control
in pumping mode

In order to satisfy the market demands, Hydropower Plant Kops II has a

full range of control ability of +/- 100 % in turbine operation and in pump
mode.
Power control should as much as possible be provided in a range between
0 % and 100 % in turbine operation as well as in pump mode in order to
cover the deviation of the real and the predicted power demand in the
grid.
Pelton turbines are used because they guarantee a highest possible efficiency for minor power demands and/or power surplus in the grid and an
optimal control ability. To this effect the pump and the turbine must be
separated, a clutch must be provided and the elements have to be arranged on a machine axis together with the motor generator.

Hydraulischer Kurzschluss
z.B.:

Storage pumps can only be used if operated with 100% load. With a
surplus of power in the grid the adaptation to the fluctuations have to
be compensated by a controllable pump. In order to be able to assure a
power control also in pump mode, the principle of the hydraulic shortcircuit is used in Hydropower Plant Kops II. The difference between the
steady take of full load of the pump and the lesser surplus of power in the
grid is compensated by the simultaneous operation of the turbines to the
necessary extent. Since the turbine is assuring a good control ability in the
complete range, a good control ability will also be given in pump mode.
In Hydropower Plant Kops II the time for changing between turbine operation and pump mode will be short in accordance with the requests of
the grid.

berschussleistung im Netz 100 MW

Pumpleistung 150 MW

G/M generator/motor runs with 100 MW

T
turbine (Pelton with Hydropower Plant Kops II)
supplies additional 50 MW
P
pump receives 150 MW
Q
water flow

Kops Reservoir

Pgrid = 100 MW surplus

Q with 100 MW
100 MW

G/M

Q with 50 MW

balancing reservoir Rifa

Q with 50 MW

Q with 100 MW

T
50 MW
Q with 150 MW

Q with 150 MW
P
150 MW

Example of an hydraulic short-circuit

with surplus of power in the grid 100 MW, pump capacity 150 MW

G/M

Generator/Motor luft mit 100 MW

Geology

Environment

Never before, such high ecological demands had to be satisfied in Vorarlberg for a construction project, as with Hydropower Plant Kops II. It
was the first time an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was initiated and could be closed positively. Such a procedure guarantees that
during the construction and the operation of Hydropower Plant Kops II
man or nature are spared to the highest possible degree.
More than 500 regulations assure that the construction will be made in
an environmentally friendly way and that also the later operation will
be technically safe and ecological.
In general, the geological conditions were favourable for the construction of the power plant, in several sections however, difficult geological
conditions were encountered, as anticipated.
The facilities of Hydropower Plant Kops II are located completely in the
rock series consisting of Silvretta crystalline. These series consist for the
most part in solid and hard rock as e.g. amphibolite, hornblende gneiss
and other types of gneiss. Other less solid mica-schists have also been
encountered.

For the operation of Hydropower Plant Kops II no additional natural

available water supply will be needed. The plant uses the Kops Reservoir as headwater reservoir, the existing balancing reservoir Rifa in Partenen is used as tailrace reservoir and the energy is transported using
an existing high-voltage line.
Concerning the operation of the power plant, Illwerke voluntarily adopted an environmental management system pursuant to ISO 14000.

Legende Legend

The findings made during the construction of Hydropower Plant Kops I

during the sixties and during the construction of the exploration tunnel
excavated in the year 2003 in the area of the actual transformer and
machine cavern, as well as further exploration measures were essential.

Hangschutt
talus material
Alluvium alluvium
Morne moraine

Schiefergneis
und
Migmatitgneis
schist
gneiss
and migmatite gneiss
mica-schist
Glimmerschiefer
and hornblende gneiss
Amphibolitamphibolite
und Hornblendegneis
granitegneiss and aplite gneiss
Granitgneis
und Aplitgneis

discharge shaft with

reservoir outlet works

surge tank

Kops Reservoir

underground power
house
balancing reservoir
Rifa

pressure tunnel
l = 5.5 km
valve chamber

intake structure

pressure shaft
l = 1.1 km

Vorarlberger Illwerke AG

Vorarlberger Illwerke AG was founded in 1924 as a limited liability company (GmbH) and has been a joint stock company (AG) located in Bregenz since 1927. The primary shareholder of Illwerke is the Province of
Vorarlberg, holding 95.5% of the shares. 4.5 % of the shares are in the
possession of WEG-Wertpapiererwerbsgesellschaft m.b.H., Bregenz.
With nine power plants, four reservoirs and several pump storage reservoirs, the Illwerke hydroelectric scheme is the basis for generating electricity from alpine water resources in the Montafon and the Walgau.
Within the European grid that connects all power plants and consumers
concerned, Illwerke supplies peak energy to its consumers and contractual partners: Energie Baden-Wrttemberg AG (EnBW), the Province
of Vorarlberg/Vorarlberger Kraftwerke AG (VKW) and the Province of
Tyrol/TIWAG-Tiroler Wasserkraft AG, as well as the opportunity to take
advantage of pump storage and additional energy services.

Peak and control energy covers the peak demand periods that occur
briefly but often during any given day in order to maintain the balance between consumption and generation of electricity. During low demand periods in the grid, especially in case of a high supply of wind
energy, Illwerkes power plants take energy of the grid to operate the
pumps, a procedure known as pump storage. The water pumped into
high-altitude reservoirs is then available for periods of high demand for
peak and control energy. This practice of pump storage has proven to
be highly effective.
Illwerke provides its electricity customers with 1,248 MW turbine output
and a pump capacity of 533 MW. Following the commissioning of Hydropower Plant Kops II, this makes up 1,700 MW of turbine output and
980 MW of pump capacity.

Piz Buin
3.312 m

Hydropower Plant layout of

Vorarlberger Illwerke AG

Brand glaciers

source of Ill
Vorarlberg

Tyrol

Silvretta Reservoir
Hydropower Plant
Obervermunt

Ischgl

Kops Reservoir
Galtr
Pumping Station
Kleinvermunt Hydropower
Plant Kops I

Paznaun

Hydropower
Plant Kops II

Vermunt
Reservoir

Hydropower
Plant Vermunt
Hydropower
Plant Rifa
Partenen
Montafon

Lnersee Reservoir

Hydropower
Plant Latschau
Hydropower
Plant Rodund I

Hydropower
Plant Lnersee
Hydropower
Plant Rodund II
Hydropower
Plant Walgau

Schruns
Bludenz
Walgau

group

ContaCt

Vorarlbergs history of electricity industry began more than a century

ago. Due to the abounding watercourses and the good geographical
conditions, Vorarlberg presented the ideal prerequisites for an economically important development of hydropower. Founded as early as in
1901 as a private company, the Vorarlberger Kraftwerke AG (VKW) became in 1929 a province-owned company that covered the public demand
of electricity.

Ulm
Stuttgart
Friedrichshafen

A7

Munich
A8

A96

Lindau

The Vorarlberger Illwerke AG (Illwerke) was founded in 1924 in view

of the production of peak and control energy for its partners in the
European grid.

FRG
Bregenz

Altenrhein

Dornbirn

A1/A13

Zurich
A14

CH

Feldkirch

Bludenz

FL

S16

Innsbruck
Vienna

Schruns
L188

Partenen

In the course of the liberalization of the European electricity market the

companies merged on January 1st, 2001 as Illwerke/VKW group and
have now a common management.
The distribution of duties and responsibilities was reorganized within
the Illwerke/VKW group. The core business of Illwerke concentrates on
the production of energy and the operation of VKW power plants. The
VKW concentrates on the distribution of energy in Vorarlberg and in
the neighbouring Western Allgu and acts as electricity distributor. The
VKW-Netz AG concentrates on the transportation of electricity and the
operation of a distributing grid thus assuring a secure electricity supply
in Vorarlberg.

group
Vorarlberger Illwerke Aktiengesellschaft
Weidachstrae 6, 6900 Bregenz, Austria
T +43/5574/601-0, F +43/5574/601-78526
www.illwerke.at
www.kopswerk2.at
info-kopswerk2@illwerke.at

Hydropower
Plant Kops II