We wake up refreshed in the morning. The night was quieter than the previous one. We think about what to do next - back home, which for us means Monday and Tuesday in Biel. Gerd is working in the office there, while I'm working nearby in our Felix office mobile. So today we have to return to Biel from Valais - no problem, we've done that many times. We discuss our options: Should we leave Valais via the Car transport from Goppenstein to Kandersteg leave? Or take a longer route via Martigny? Perhaps over the Grimsel Pass again? A few days ago, low clouds obscured the view. A glance at the weather map and the webcam shows: "The sun is shining up there!" We look at each other and know immediately that we'll take the pass again.
We leave Bellwald behind us and head downhill. I ask Gerd if we have the time and inclination for the suspension bridge in Fürgangen. But he doesn't respond and drives past without comment. I smile, because I know he doesn't like suspension bridges. So now it's uphill again, through Ulrichen and up to the Grimsel. At the top we can see the lake and, rarely, the sun. We take a short break, enjoy the view and fortify ourselves before continuing on to the Grimselhospiz.
I suggest visiting the dam wall. Last time, thick fog obscured the view and I'm curious to see how construction is progressing. We stop and visit the exhibition on the new dam. There we learn lots of interesting details about the construction project, which reuses a lot of material from the rock, making it a recycled wall.
After the exhibition, I think that a tour of the building site would be exciting. No sooner have we thought about it than we see a group forming outside for a guided tour. I ask the leader if we can join them. "Of course," he says. "Just pay afterwards." So we slip into high-visibility waistcoats and take part in the tour. We learn a lot about the construction, the special features of dams and the electricity supply in Switzerland. The moment when we step out of a tunnel and the sun blinds us is particularly impressive. We are glad we chose the Grimsel Pass again.
After an hour full of fascinating stories, we say goodbye and make our way home. Once again, we realise how lucky we are to simply set off and experience the unknown. Sometimes all you need to do is ask questions and get involved in the moment - that's what makes travelling special.
Information on the Spitallamm replacement dam
Large dams are rarely built in Switzerland, but the Spitallamm replacement dam on the Grimsel in the Bernese Oberland is one of the few projects of its kind. Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG (KWO) began replacing the existing dam in 2019. The old Spitallamm dam, built almost 90 years ago, is in need of renovation. It will remain in place and will be flooded once the new wall is completed. The construction of the original wall was a technical masterpiece, and the construction of the replacement wall is still impressive today. The new dam secures the long-term utilisation of Lake Grimsel for electricity production. The work at an altitude of 1900 metres in the high mountains is logistically challenging.
The old Spitallamm wall, built between 1925 and 1932, was one of the first arched gravity walls in Switzerland. It held back the water due to its weight and anchoring in the rock. At the time of its construction, it was one of the highest dams in the world at 114 metres.
In view of its age and technical challenges, it was decided not to renovate it and to build a new wall. This will be 113 metres high and 212 metres long, with a concrete volume of around 215,000 cubic metres. Construction will take place directly in front of the old wall and should be completed by 2025.
Lake Grimsel, with a capacity of around 94 million cubic metres, is the most important water reservoir for KWO's electricity production. The new dam will enable reliable electricity production in the coming decades.
Info: https://www.grimselstrom.ch/ausbauvorhaben/zukunft/ersatz-staumauer-spitallamm/ // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0vxzYvIHUk
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I appreciate your article.
Will leaving the original dam, in place, help protect the new dam?
Will they be able to remove the water between the dams?
Thanks
James
Good question, there seems to be better stability if the old dam remains. And I suppose they can drain the water between the dams. But I can't say whether that will be possible permanently. So it's worth a visit and a guided tour to get these questions answered.
Kind regards - Heike