Rinerhorn Cable Cars: Government Approves Construction Of Small Hydropower Plant In Davos

The government has approved the granting of water rights for the Rinerhorn small hydropower plant of Bergbahnen Rinerhorn AG in the municipality of Davos and grants project approval for this purpose.

Bergbahnen Rinerhorn AG is a Swiss tourism company and operator of several cable cars in the Nüllischgrat- Rinerhorn -Hubel area in Davos . It also operates the Jatzmeder, Blockhuus, Spina, Hubelhütte restaurants, and several bars. The Rinerlodge campsite and the Maxon Pavillon, Rinerlodge, and Rinerhorn mountain hostels also belong to the company. In the 1990s, the Rinerhorn cable cars ran into financial difficulties. When they were on the verge of bankruptcy in 1996, Davos-Parsenn-Bahnen AG acquired a majority stake of 56.94% in the Rinerhorn cable cars. This stake went to Davos Klosters Bergbahnen , into which the Davos-Parsenn-Bahnen were merged in 2003. In the 2010s and 2020s, artificial snowmaking was gradually expanded .

Bergbahnen Rinerhorn AG has operated a snowmaking and drinking water system for the ski area in the municipality of Davos since 1991. The required water is diverted from the Rieberbach and Leidbach streams. In 2021, the snowmaking system was expanded accordingly with the commissioning of the reservoir. Bergbahnen Rinerhorn AG now also plans to use this infrastructure to generate hydroelectric power.

The primary purpose remains snowmaking to meet snow demand in winter, which is why electricity production is suspended during this time. The energy produced during the off-season will primarily be used by Bergbahnen Rinerhorn AG for its own consumption, with the surplus being fed into the grid and marketed.

On November 29, 2020, the Davos electorate granted Bergbahnen Rinerhorn AG the concession to use the Rieberbach stream from approximately 1,878 m above sea level and the Leidbach stream from approximately 1,865 m above sea level to approximately 1,455 m above sea level for the production of electrical energy. The water is returned to the Landwasser River at the Rinerhornbahn valley station. The project includes, among other things, the construction of the Glaris turbine house next to the Rinerhorn Bergbahn valley station, the construction of a new pumping shaft near the Rieberbach intake, and the adaptation of the Rieberbach sand trap.