Start of Tunnelling for Forbach Pumped Storage Power Plant

At the end of July 2024, the ceremonial start of tunnelling for the Forbach pumped storage power plant project took place. As part of the conversion of the Rudolf Fettweis plant in Forbach from a storage and run-of-river power plant to a pumped storage power plant, Porr is responsible for the construction of caverns, water reservoirs and tunnels by mined excavation, the excavation of the power plant cavern and the construction of two pressure shafts. The client is EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG.

The total excavated length of the project is around 5300 m, of which around 4700 m is accounted for by the tunnels. Excavation work on the spoil removal tunnel began back in April 2014. By the end of July, around 200 m had been excavated and the spoil removal tunnel/access tunnel junction had been reached. With the start of the access tunnel, the drive towards the spoil removal tunnel/access tunnel junction structure has begun, which will be reached after approx. 220 m. The drive will then continue in the direction of the powerhouse cavern.

The power station cavern is an impressive 123 m long, 20 m wide and 42 m high. The two pressure shafts of the project have different lengths: 357 m (SBW/Schwarzenbachwerk) and 153 m (MuW/Murgwerk). The total excavated volume is around 400 000 cubic meters of solid mass.