Jungfrau Railways
Services & Partner
In Lütschental, since more than hundred years, Jungfraubahn AG operates its own hydroelectric power plant with two machines (total 12 MW). With its own medium voltage (16 kV) and distribution grid (400 V), the Jungfrau Railway power plant supplies customers in the municipalities of Lütschental, Gündlischwand, Zweilütschinen and Burglauenenen with electricity. All railways of the Jungfrau group run on 100% renewable Swiss energy.
24/7 phone: +41 33 828 77 77
The Jungfrau Railways are planning a 11 hectare alpine solar system on Alp Hintisberg. The goal is to produce around 12 GWh per year. This means that 3,000 households can be supplied. On Friday, November 24, 2023, a majority at the community meeting of the Lütschental community said yes to an alpine Hintisberg solar power plant. The people of Lütschental had dealt intensively with the project, as was shown by a well-attended information event a few weeks before the vote. The Hintisberg mountain community, which will, among other things, receive compensation per kilowatt hour produced, had already given the project the green light in June 2023.
With the approval of the Hintisberg solar power system, a step has been taken towards a self-sufficient, sustainable power supply. This will lead to attractive electricity prices in the long term. The system will produce valuable electricity, especially during the day in winter, when a lot of electricity is needed in our network and it has to be purchased expensively on the market. With an alpine solar system, less of this expensive electricity has to be purchased. This promotes lower electricity prices. Private households will benefit from this just as much as the Jungfrau Railways.
The building application (alpine photovoltaic system) and application for planning approval (medium-voltage cable lines, transformer stations) were open to the public from 1 May to 2 June 2025. No objections were received to the application for the alpine photovoltaic plant within this period. One objection was lodged against the application for planning approval. It now remains to be seen whether the issue can be resolved and within what timeframe. If the building permit is granted, the first preliminary work will start in late autumn 2025. The first major expansion stage is realistically scheduled for 2026.
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On our energy portal, our electricity customers can view their bills, check their payment status, report a move or relocation, check their electricity consumption and - if your meter has already been replaced by a smart meter - view the 15-minute load profile. Energy portal Jungfrau Railway power station
When planning a construction project, it is important to know where our plant management lines are located. For planning offices, entrepreneurs and private companies in cooperation with Energie Thun AG, we offer the opportunity to find out more about the progress of our electricity lines. The current data is available 24/7 at the following link:
Jungfrau Railway Power Station Plan Information Service
The following forecasts must be met for planning information:
The information (plans) will be sent by email as PDF (or DWG/DXF) in A3/A4 format in scale 1:200 to the registered email address and are free of charge.
Orders for pipeline information in other formats are subject to a charge and can be ordered from the Jungfrau Railways power station.
Do you have any questions or would you like special plan formats? We will be happy to help you at [email protected] or 033 828 77 77.
Today's hydroelectric power plant on the Schwarze Lütschine was built in 1906/08 to supply electricity to Jungfraubahn. Over the course of time, smaller and larger renovation and modernisation works have been carried out, but without fundamentally changing the structure. The striking machine building, which is now somewhat hidden by the riverbank vegetation, was built according to plans by the Zurich-based architectural firm Haller & Schindler. A new water intake and weir system was inaugurated in August 2024.
In 1908, the power plant had 4 Pelton turbines each with 1,370 HP with generators of 1,000 kV A each, 7,500 volts, 400 rev/Min., 40 Hz. In 1916, the output of the four generators was increased to 1,150 kVA and in 1923 the machine groups were converted for a frequency between 40 and 50 Hz, or 400 and 500 rpm respectively. A fifth machine group with a 2,900 HP turbine and 2,500 kV A generator could be put into operation in 1926.
In 2011, the Pelton turbines from 1908 were replaced by two new, vertically arranged 6-nozzle Pelton turbines. These have an installed capacity of 11.5 MW and can now generate approx. 55 GWh of electrical energy per year instead of approx. 35 GWh.
Starting in 1932, the Jungfrau Railways distribution grid could be operated with the Bernese power plants BKW in the interconnected system. In 1960, the final phase of the Jungfrau Railways high-voltage grid at 16 kV and 50 Hz was completed. The frequency converter from 40 Hz to 50 Hz could be permanently shut down.
