KW Pradapunt: Consortium an environmental organisations reach agreement

WWF and Pro Natura have lodged objections as part of the public consultation process for the concession application for the Pradapunt hydroelectric power plant planned in Schanfigg. Among other things, these objections concern the design of the protection regulations for the Plessur river and floodplain protection. In a constructive exchange, the ‘Wasserkraft Plessur’ consortium and the environmental organisations WWF Graubünden and Pro Natura Graubünden have reached a basic agreement. With the amended protection regulations for the Plessur, which will be presented to the Arosa municipal parliament on 18 September, the concession approval process can continue.

In February of this year, the population of Arosa approved the concession for the planned Pradapunt hydroelectric power plant between Litzirüti and Molinis with 90.25% of the vote in a ballot box vote, whereupon the ‘Wasserkraft Plessur’ consortium submitted the concession approval application to the canton of Graubünden. During the public consultation period, the cantonal associations of WWF and Pro Natura submitted a joint objection.

The environmental organisations criticised in particular that the balance between protection and use of the Plessur between Litzirüti and Pradapunt was not sufficiently ensured and demanded adjustments to the protection and utilisation plan (SNP) for the planned Pradapunt hydroelectric power plant. In a constructive exchange with the environmental organisations – and with the support of the canton of Graubünden – the protection and utilisation plan was clarified and adjusted. The Plessur protection regulations, which prevent further use of the section of the Plessur between Litzirüti and Pradapunt and thus also the nationally protected Molinis floodplain, will no longer be limited to the duration of the concession for the upstream Litzirüti power plant, but will apply for the entire 80-year concession period of the new Pradapunt power plant. This will ensure that, in return for the new power plant, the nationally protected Molinis floodplain will remain an intact habitat in the long term.

Referendum in November

The amended protection and utilisation plan will be submitted to the Arosa municipal parliament for approval on 18 September 2025. If the green light is given, a new referendum will be held in Arosa on 30 November 2025. The concession approval process will then continue with the amended protection and utilisation plan. The government of the canton of Graubünden is then expected to decide on approval by means of a government resolution in spring 2026. The resolution will again be made public. Overall, the two-stage approval process with concession and project approval will take several years, meaning that the consortium partners will not be able to make an investment and construction decision until 2027 at the earliest.

Renewable electricity for 10,000 households

The consortium partners Arosa Energie, IBC Energie Wasser Chur and Axpo intend to invest around CHF 80 million in the new hydroelectric power plant, thereby reaffirming their commitment to the expansion of renewable energies in Switzerland. With an installed capacity of 10 MW, the Pradapunt power plant could produce 42 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity per year, covering the needs of around 10,000 four-person households.

More Information about the KW Pradapunt