With one exception, the city councilors are behind the construction of a new hydroelectric power station in Wolfratshausen.
It could supply around a quarter of households in Loisachstadt with electricity.
Wolfratshausen – The city council is behind the new hydroelectric power station planned at the weir on the Loisach-Isar Canal.
As reported, the process has now been going on for eight years.
In their most recent meeting, the elected representatives approved, with one exception, the application by Wasserkraft Farchet GmbH for the granting of a permit under water law.
The final decision is made by the District Attorney's Office.
"Meanwhile the beaver is here": Criticism of the location for the planned hydroelectric power plant
As early as June 2015, the GmbH, founded by the Tölzer Stadtwerke (40 percent share) and the Eon subsidiary Bayernwerk Natur GmbH (60 percent share), had applied for the “water law permit for the use of water bodies in the Loisach-Isar Canal through a new hydroelectric power plant in the City of Wolfratshausen” requested.
But the approval process is complex, and the connected water system within the district must be taken into account, among other things.
The discharge volumes from the Walchensee power plant into the Kochelsee have an impact on the amount of water that flows through the Loisach-Isar Canal. In addition, the rights of the operator of the Weidachmühle and the interests of the rafting companies (keyword water level) must be observed.
But even at the most recent meeting of the building committee, the tenor was that the project now had to pick up speed.
Michael Bartels, spokesman for Bayernwerk AG, emphasized to our newspaper that the only thing that is currently being discussed is water rights – the building law procedure will follow.
According to Bartels, the turbine will produce around two million kilowatt hours of electricity annually.
That would correspond to the consumption of around a quarter of Wolfratshausen households.
We need all the components of renewable energy, including hydropower, and this is where the intervention in nature is tolerable.
dr
Hans Schmidt (Greens), environmental officer of the city council
for dr
Hans Schmidt, it is "high time to realize the project," said the Green City Councilor at the building committee meeting.
The Greens would have preferred a location on Geltinger Flur "because this allows for a significantly greater gradient and the secondary use of the water in the power plants at the Kastenmühl weir".
However, Wasserkraft Farchet disputed the economic viability of this solution because allegedly significantly higher investment costs would be incurred.
For Schmidt, after weighing all the arguments, what counts is: "We need all the components of renewable energy, including hydropower, and at this point the intervention in nature is probably tolerable."
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"Meanwhile the beaver is here!": Dr.
Manfred Fleischer (Wolfratshauser Liste) considers the location on the Loisach-Isar Canal for the construction of a new hydroelectric power station to be "the most unfavorable place imaginable".
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This statement underscores “the duplicity of the Greens”, stated Dr.
Manfred Fleischer (Wolfratshauser Liste) in the most recent city council meeting.
In terms of water law approval, the committee had received a positive recommendation from the building committee.
Fleischer, who categorically rejected the location on the Loisach-Isar Canal, reproached the Greens: "When it comes to regenerative energy, suddenly everything is okay." He, Fleischer, will interfere with a flora-fauna-habitat (FFH) - Territory disagree.
The last quarter of the stretch between the planned hydroelectric power station and the Isar is in just such an area that is particularly worthy of protection.
According to Schmidt, the city council's environmental officer, the report on the FFH compatibility of the construction project was positive.
In addition to the beaver also "breeding occurrence of the dipper"
But an environmental impact assessment did not take place, Fleischer countered.
The potential builder is working “with old foundations”.
Fleischer also pointed out: "The beaver is here now!", as well as "Birth occurrence of the dipper".
He attached great importance to the statement that he was not "a matter of the pros or cons of hydropower", but "of the optimal location".
The weir on the canal is "the most unfavorable place imaginable" - "the Gelting location would be more suitable".
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The city of Wolfratshausen is keeping participation open
The city councilors responded with a few objections to their yes to the approval of the water rights permit.
The procedure is conducted by the district office.
In the decision, the district authority should regulate, among other things
• that a minimum amount of water must be guaranteed in the Loisach for the rafting operations in Wolfratshausen during the months of rafting operations (May to September);
• the minimum amount of water in the Loisach must be so large that neither the flora nor the fauna of the Loisach are harmed;
it is to be determined by means of an expert opinion and to be made continuously accessible to the public on the Internet in terms of measurement technology;
• the amount of water discharged into the Loisach-Isar Canal must be continuously measured and made publicly accessible on the Internet;
• A precisely dimensioned access plan and detailed construction site setup plan must be submitted to the city before the start of the work and coordinated with the city administration before construction begins;
• Tree felling and pruning measures on urban land must be coordinated with the city administration in advance;
they are to be limited to what is absolutely necessary;
if such measures are to be carried out between March 1st and October 31st, the approval of the lower nature conservation authority at the district office must be obtained in addition to the approval of the city;
• as offered by Bayernwerk Natur GmbH and Stadtwerke Bad Tölz GmbH, the city of Wolfratshausen would like to keep open a stake of 20 percent in the operating company;
the final decision should be made after determining the total costs for the project;
• the restoration of the Isar cycle path (cycle path route Munich – Venice) must be guaranteed after completion of the construction work;
• the diversion measures during the construction phase are to be publicly communicated and adequately signposted;
• It is requested that private residents be contacted promptly in order to inform them about the construction project.
(cce)
Helmuth Holzheu (Wolfratshausen Citizens' Association/BVW), Chairman of the Wolfratshausen District Fishing Association, asked that "those authorized to fish be questioned" as the process progressed.
He advocated that Wasserkraft Farchet GmbH not only install a fish descent aid, as planned, but also an ascent aid.
"We should leave the church in the village, a fish has never come up there," Schmidt remarked.
With one dissenting vote (Fleischer), the city council approved the application for the granting of a water permit.
"The procedure is carried out by the district office," emphasized the head of the town hall, Klaus Heilinglechner (BVW).
Commissioning of the new hydroelectric power plant “maybe” in autumn/winter 2024
In January of this year, Bayernwerk spokesman Bartels explained in an interview with our newspaper about the probable schedule: If the water law permit is granted in the short to medium term and the building application is then approved promptly and the orders for the trades can be awarded quickly, then ( "But at the earliest!") The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at the beginning of next year.
The commissioning of the new hydroelectric power station can therefore “perhaps” be expected in autumn/winter 2024.
(cce)
