Magnificent weather for a magnificent piece of work!

Saint Peter must be a fan of dams. On Friday, 9 September 2016, the Muttsee dam was christened in a festive ceremony under cloudless mountain skies. After ten years of planning and construction, it was a milestone for the Limmern pump storage plant and a historic moment for Axpo!

On the gala day the dam looked majestic, adorned with a few flags and a small podium. As if it had always been there. It is an unrivalled structure that combines technology, engineering skill and Alpine nature. The dam’s dimensions are impressive: it is longer than it is wide. Indeed, at over 1054 metres, Axpo’s most recent work is the longest dam in Switzerland and the highest in Europe. 130 people, including political representatives from the Canton of Glarus, attended the christening in honour of the dam.

Project of the century completed on time and within budget

Axpo CEO Andrew Walo is proud that this once-in-a-century construction project was completed on time and within budget. But Walo also feels humble, since “given the dimensions up here and the potential effects of nature, success is never guaranteed.” Walo thanked Axpo’s employees as well as those of the partner companies for “their fantastic performance”. In a symbolic gesture, the “plug” was pulled from the lake:

Classic car and a surprise message from the sky

On the festive day, the classic race car "Silverpfeil" was once more called into service: It was hoisted up the mountain via the construction cableway. In the 1960s, the Silberpfeil made an appearance at the inauguration at the Limmernsee. And at the very end, the Patrouille Suisse surprised the throng of guests with a greeting from the sky. So much blessing and honour from on high!

Video clip of the christening of the dam

Video of the Patrouille Suisse above the Muttsee