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Renewable Energy from the Heart of Austria

Austria, Murkraftwerk Graz

In March 2017, Austria’s E-Steiermark awarded ANDRITZ Hydro a contract to supply two Bulb turbines for the Murkraftwerk Graz hydropower plant. The machines, with a rated capacity of 8.85 MW each, are destined for a plant located on the river Mur right in the heart of the Styrian capital of Graz. Alongside the turbines, the scope of supply includes speed controllers, generators, excitation and the entire control system. Murkraftwerk Graz, Errichtungs- und BetriebsgmbH, will build the plant.

Birds perspective of the power plant on the Mur in Austria

Pre-installation works for the draft tube liners started in April 2018, one of the first major site activities executed by ANDRITZ Hydro. Following installation of the generator hatch frame in mid-2018, the bulb case was delivered to site in October the same year. As this is one of the heaviest components, a 500-ton mobile crane was required on site.

With the conclusion of all the pre-installation works, in March 2019 the main installation works began. Within a very short period all the main components, including the wicket gate mechanism, pre-installed shaft and bearing systems, runner, generator rotor and stator, were installed.

Wet commissioning of the first unit started in mid-June 2019. After five weeks, and after passing all required tests, in July this year the first unit was released for commercial operations and for the 30-day trial run period.

Immediately thereafter wet commissioning of the second unit began. In October 2019, the hydropower plant was officially put into commercial operation.

"Renewable forms of energy create added-value and jobs.”

Anton Lang, Styria's Provincial Minister for Energy and Climate Protection

The Murkraftwerk Graz-Puntigam will provide enough electrical energy to supply about 20,000 households with clean, emission-free electricity, saving about 60,000 tons of CO2 every year.

ANDRITZ Hydro is proud to be part of this important, sustainable clean energy project right here on our doorstep in the heartlands of Austria.