Pfunds says clearly no: Folk survey stops controversial power plant project!

Pfunds says clearly no: Folk survey stops controversial power plant project!

In a referendum in the municipality of Pfunds, 84.45 percent of the voters against the planned expansion of the Kaunertal power plant voted on June 15, 2025. Mayor Melanie Zerlauth announced the result on the community's homepage. With a turnout of 68.14 percent, in which a total of 2,075 voting entitled, 1,204 citizens agreed with no and only 205 with yes. The referendum, which is not binding, is about the question of whether the municipality should support the project 'Expansion Kraftwerk Kaunertal' as part of its rights in the environmental impact assessment procedure. The Tyrolean energy supplier Tiwag plans to build a pumping memory that is to be realized together with a reservoir in the high valley via pounds.

The power plant project has been discussed intensively for years. For Tiwag, it is a central component in the energy transition. Environmentalists and various citizens' initiatives, on the other hand, vehemently reject the project. They warn of the possible negative consequences for nature, especially with regard to the destruction of valuable habitats. An environmental alliance has already collected over 100,000 signatures against the expansion of the power plant. To endanger Hochmoor in the Platzertal and claims that there is no such high bog in the region.

resistance of the population

The plans for the pumped storage power plant were already submitted in 2009, and the environmental impact assessment (RRP) took place for the first time in 2012. Tiwag submitted the plans to the UVP again at the end of March 2025 after the company was faced with improvement orders four times. The project was currently shared in two parts; The first part includes the construction of the Pump storage and the Platzertal storage storage company, while the future of the second part, which includes the Prutz 2 lower level power plant and the Imst 2 power plant, is uncertain. Here against the second part there was considerable resistance, which led to Tiwag putting the project back on the basis of political pressure.

In addition to the concerns of the Pfunds citizens, the population of Sölden voted 96.19 percent against the original plans in a referendum. Former and current state governments, including the ÖVP and SPÖ, have also spoken out for the expansion of the Kaunertal power plant. Tiwag emphasizes that the project is necessary to reach Tyrol's energy autonomy by 2050. In this context, the WWF welcomed the result of the referendum and demands the final stop of the project. The WWF expert Maximilian Frey said that the flooding of the Platzertal would destroy a unique natural treasure.

Financial aspects and alternatives

The discussion about pumped storage power plants is not limited to Tirol. According to a study by the NRW Ministry of Environment, numerous locations in Germany were analyzed to evaluate the potential for new pumped storage power plants. The results show that the construction of such plants is currently inhibited by unfavorable economic framework conditions. Bund NRW reports of a technically feasible storage potential of 56 gigawatt hours. New underground pumped storage power plants are considered as an option, but there are also numerous challenges in the room. Their costs are between 600 and 2400 euros per kilowatt, which makes it comparable to above -ground projects.

The critical voices in the discussion about the planned pumped memory in the Platzertal emphasize that the project is neither economically nor sustainable. Conservationists therefore call for nature -friendly alternatives to find a balance between energy production and environmental protection. The WWF emphasizes that there should be no compulsion to destroy nature and habitats for sustainable solutions. wwf The planned project looks like it could develop a billion dollar grave, the assumed investments should not deliver the expected yield.