Storms Force Switzerland to Deactivate Hydropower Plants
Intense weather wreaking havoc in sections of Switzerland: Several fatalities reported. Debris blocks roads. Six power stations halted.
A total of six hydroelectric power stations were temporarily halted as a precaution in the Swiss Misox Valley due to the bad weather. Some sustained damage, as confirmed by energy company Axpo. The power stations are all currently secure, assured Axpo further. Two of them can be quickly restored, while repairs for the remaining four are anticipated to be significant.
In Lostallo, the Misox Valley, two individuals are still unaccounted for. Their homes were swept away by a landslide on Friday evening. Initially, four people were reported missing. One missing individual was discovered deceased in a river in Graubünden on Sunday in the Misox Valley, while hopes for the other tworemain slim.
"When we observe the landslides with gigantic rolling masses, the chances of survival [..] are relatively low," stated a police representative. The affected homes were destroyed on Friday evening.
Landslides were caused by the weather. The North-South roads through the Misox Valley north of Lake Como were largely closed, and about 200 meters of the Autobahn 13 were damaged. In one area, the entire four-lane highway sank and collapsed. The A13 is a crucial alternative route for vacation traffic heading towards Italy through the San Bernardino Pass when the Gotthard Tunnel is congested. In the canton of Valais, however, there was less damage caused by the storms.
The railway line from Visp to Zermatt sustained partial damage and was shut down. The car-free village at the Matterhorn in the canton of Valais was isolated from the outside world for more than 24 hours. Only on the last kilometers from Täsch did trains resume operation from Saturday evening. Otherwise, buses served as substitutes.
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Amidst the international discussions on sustainable energy supply, the storm-induced halt of six hydropower plants in Switzerland has highlighted the vulnerability of such energy sources to extreme weather events. Following the storm, two of the damaged power stations in the Misox Valley are expected to be restored swiftly, while repairs for the remaining four are estimated to be substantial.
