As of: March 26, 2024, 5:02 p.m
By: Alois Ostler
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The future of the Walchensee power plant was a topic at the annual meeting of the “Save the Isar Now” association.
Chairman Karl Probst continues to hope that the Free State will buy the hydropower division of the operator Uniper.
District Administrator Josef Niedermaier considers this unlikely.
© Uniper
The “Save the Isar Now” association takes a position on the new allocation of water rights to the Walchensee power plant.
Its future was a topic at the annual meeting.
Lenggries – The concerns of “Save the Isar now” are more relevant than ever.
The association, which was founded 50 years ago, once again took a clear position at the general meeting on Thursday.
Chairman Karl Probst called for a “good solution” for the new allocation of water rights for the Walchensee power plant, which is due to take place in 2030.
Nationalization of the Walchensee power plant: Niedermaier considers the project to be “relatively unlikely”
In Probst's opinion, “the Free State of Bavaria should seize the opportunity” and reacquire the hydropower division of the listed company, which currently belongs to Uniper.
As is well known, after financial difficulties, the federal government temporarily took over the majority of the shares.
“I still hope that the company will be bought back so that one day you don’t have to negotiate with the Sheikh of Qatar as a new investor,” said Probst.
The Tölz district administrator, on the other hand, considers nationalization to be “relatively unlikely”.
Josef Niedermaier is a member of the club himself and explained his point of view in the Alpine Festival Hall.
Looking back at the Bavarian state elections last fall, he said: "Before October 2023, a few politicians went around and, against their better judgment, promised to buy the Walchensee power plant." The oft-cited reversion - i.e. the transfer of ownership back to the Free State - also occurred with the Walchensee power plant out of the question because this was not listed in the approval notice.
Uniper wants to continue operating the Walchensee power plant
In particular, Niedermaier made it clear that with regard to the upcoming proceedings, “a lot of nonsense is being said by politicians as well as by associations and specialist committees”.
Above all, “nothing is being put out to tender here at all”.
There is a water right, but the approval notice will not be automatically extended.
If someone other than the current company wants to operate the Walchensee power plant, “then they have to buy the plant from Uniper.”
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For this you have to determine a price in advance.
But that is anything but easy because it has not yet been determined what is required in the new approval notice.
Uniper has made it clear several times “that it wants to continue operating the power plant”.
However, this has not yet been requested in writing.
The crucial question now – especially with regard to residual water quantities and the gravel drift – is: What do we want?
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Regionalization is also important from the perspective of “Save the Isar Now”.
“It is important to us that we achieve an overall good result,” assured Karl Probst.
He could also “live well with Uniper”.
In his opinion, the most important points in the new award include the residual water volumes and the continuity of water bodies “where it makes sense”.
Probst also calls for bedload management and clear cost allocation.
This means that anyone who causes damage to the environment must also be able to be prosecuted financially.
Stand-up paddlers and pool jumpers have no place on the Isar
The “Save the Isar Now” association is grateful for the boating regulations on the Isar issued by the district and for the use of the Isar rangers, said chairman Karl Probst.
However, at the general meeting in the Alpine Festival Hall, he drew attention to some “implementation deficits”.
According to the regulation, the popular pool jumping is not permitted.
But some commercial providers “apparently want the same Halligalli as before”.
Probst has also observed that people don't care much about navigating the rapids quickly.
“A lot of people prefer to have the pleasure several times in a row.” A particular thorn in Probst’s side are the so-called stand-up paddlers.
“Stand-up paddling has no place in shallow water.” According to the current regulations, these are unsuitable watercraft.
With the rental boats that have recently been offered, “another business is being done at the expense of the Isar, with the rental companies also saving on the guide”.
District Administrator Josef Niedermaier wants to bring the information about the stand-up paddlers to the district office.
If one of the almost ten approved commercial providers attracts unpleasant attention during boat tours, “then sooner or later they will be out of business”.
This has already happened twice, said the district administrator.
The relevant permits are issued every year.
From the club's point of view, regionalization is important.
“Not only should the disadvantages remain with the region, but also part of the profits.” The new concession must also be accompanied by extensive public relations work.
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On the subject of residual water, Probst reported on two experiments last year and a study commissioned by Uniper.
Three cubic meters per second (cbm/sec) would therefore be required at the Rißbach.
“That’s not a small amount,” said the chairman.
Despite this amount of discharge, the desired minimum water height in the stream bed of 20 centimeters cannot be achieved.
A return line of up to 1.3 cbm/sec would be required at the Jachen.
However, the weir in Leger probably cannot handle this amount.
Probst is now hoping for the results of the Uniper study, which has not yet been published.
(ao)
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