The Kachlet power plant, also known as the Kachlet power plant or Kachlet plant, is a dam with a double lock and hydroelectric power station in the Danube near Maierhof in the city of Passau, operated by Uniper Kraftwerke GmbH.
The Kachlet, a section of the Danube off Passau dotted with rocks and small islands, has always hindered shipping traffic. So it was decided to dam the almost 20 km long dangerous stretch[3]. For this purpose, the Rhein-Main-Donau-AG, founded in 1921, built a power plant with a double lock from 1922 to 1927. This was also the first step towards the creation of the Main-Danube Canal major shipping route.
Reservoir[edit | edit source code]
The system impounds the water level up to a height of 9.2 m above the lowest water level. This ensures a minimum fairway depth of 2.5 m. The weir is 175 m long [3] with six openings, each 25 m wide and double gates 11.8 m high. Both lock chambers are 230 m long[3] and 24 m wide[3]. Each lock requires 40,000 m³ of water. The average water flow is 648 m³/s, the highest water flow is 6000 m³/s [3].
The storage area in front of the power plant is 28 km long[3] and secured with dams. The target storage target is 299.8 m above sea level. Normal zero[5]. The area behind the dams is drained by eight pumping stations. In September 1925 ships passed through the lock for the first time. On May 9, 1933, the reservoir was the scene of the accident of the Do X flying boat.
Powerhouse[edit | edit source code]
The powerhouse is 144 m long, 17 m wide and 20.6 m high. The original propeller turbines were replaced by Kaplan runners with adjustable blades after about 35 years. The swallowing ability could be increased from 750 m³/s to 1070 m³/s. The expansion output rose from 42 MW to 53.7 MW and electricity generation from 260 GWh/a to 308 GWh/a.