From the cities to the Alps, ABB technology plays a strong supporting role in powering picture-postcard views
Jagged snow-capped mountains, gushing waterfalls and remote hilltop castles: Swiss scenery is legendary. The dramatic views have inspired numerous authors and served as the backdrop for famous scenes in art, literature and film, from Lord Byron’s “Prisoner of Chillon” to Sherlock Holmes in a final showdown with his arch enemy, Professor Moriarty, at the Reichenbach Falls. And who can forget a certain British agent schussing down from the Schilthorn Mountaintop in the name of Her Majesty’s secret service.
Throughout Switzerland, ABB technology plays a supportive but critical role in powering and protecting these scenic areas near and far and making them accessible to a wide range of visitors.
Bringing energy to the Top of Europe
One of Europe’s most iconic mountains is the mighty Jungfrau, which at 4,158 meters, looks down on the nearby peaks, Eiger and Mönch. The Jungfrau Railway, a monumental feat of engineering, winds through ice, rock and tunnels hewn out of the mountains to reach the highest railway station in Europe, at 3,453 meters, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Since 1912, when the first train summited, ABB technology has played a long-standing engineering and operating role.
The original line was electrified by Brown, Boveri, the forerunner to ABB, and today, more than 125 years later, ABB technology continues to energize the line, while ABB traction transformers on board power the trains to bring visitors to the summit year round. Most recently, in 2016, ABB updated the Wilderswil substation which supplies power to all of Berner Oberland East, including the “top of Jungfrau” area and the Jungfraubahn, with gas-insulated switchgear (GIS).
Strengthening power hubs to meet international standards
Due to its location in the center of Europe, Switzerland hosts several power “hubs” that interconnect surrounding countries. As a vital power flow intersection, the Swiss exchange large amounts of electricity at 41 grid intersections with neighboring countries France, Germany, Italy and Austria.
The Laufenberg substation is one of these hubs. Located on the Rhine river and known for its colorful old-world homes, the town is a key node in the European interconnected grid system between France, Germany and Switzerland. The large substation there has played an important role in ABB’s history, as many key ABB technologies have cut their teeth there. In 2010, ABB also played a pivotal role in upgrading the 51-year-old substation with switchgear solutions.
In Mühleberg, another busy power network in the center of the country, ABB is supplying an 800-megavolt ampere (MVA) phase shifting transformer to Swissgrid, the Swiss transmission system operator. The phase shifting transformer will enable Swissgrid to control load flow in the surrounding area by rerouting power effortlessly between the 220 kV and 380 kV networks at times of intensive grid use.
This will also support the Swiss government’s long-term energy strategy, the goals of which include improving energy efficiency and using more renewables.
Enabling smooth integration of renewables and conserving scenic space
In several high-altitude dramatic locations, ABB technology has helped upgrade hydropower pumped storage plants using GIS and reliable generator circuit breaker (GCB) technology to help boost power supply, reliability and efficiency while reducing carbon footprint.
The Linth-Limmern project is one of ABB’s crowning solutions. The high–capacity, pumped-storage hydropower station is installed in an underground cavern in the scenic Linthal valley. The facility is used to pump water from the lower reservoir (the Limmernsee) in the valley to the upper reservoir (the Muttsee), 600 meters above the station. During peak demand, water is released from the upper reservoir to generate high-value power. ABB provided transformers and a 380-kilovolt GIS substation, which will help to feed power from the plant into the grid.
At Nant de Drance, another large pumped-storage power station on the Swiss-French border between Chamonix and Martigny, ABB’s specially-designed and innovative GCB technology helps insure the upgraded plant will operate as efficiently as possible. This ABB technology, which is also in operation at Linth-Limmern, is specially designed for pumped-storage applications with heavy loads and has a proven track record. The GCB helps form a "protective switch" which can interrupt the current within 70 milliseconds in case of any short-circuit, avoiding damage to the cavern. The GCB enables circuit switching and nominal power shutdowns. During normal operations, this can occur up to 2,000 times per year.
Val Russein, another scenic valley in the southeast of Switzerland, hosts the Russein hydropower plant. ABB technology helped upgrade the 67-year-old plant, which is operated by Swiss utility Axpo Group, with its innovative hybrid switchgear module. ABB’s Plug and Switch System (PASS) solution combines reliable high-voltage functions in a unit that delivers a small footprint, quick, simple installation and low environmental impact, important factors in preserving scenic spaces.
ABB transformers for the Gotthard Rail Tunnel
The Gotthard rail tunnel, at 57 kilometers, is the world’s longest, and deepest and a stunning mountainous gateway between the northern and southern parts of Switzerland. Thanks to ABB technology, it now has the world’s largest and most powerful ventilation system. For the fan motors, ABB delivered eight dry-type transformers of Resibloc as well as the inverter. This technology is vital in keeping the Gotthard Tunnel operating safely for the millions of visitors who pass through each year.
ABB is the hero of many stories in Switzerland, enabling power to landmark areas and helping Switzerland remain one of the world’s top tourist destinations.
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