Large dams are not built very often in Switzerland anymore – the Spitallamm replacement dam built on Lake Grimsel in the Bernese Oberland is one of the few of its kind. From 2019 to 2025, Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG will replace the existing dam with a new dam. The old dam wall is in need of renovation, but it will be preserved and subsequently flooded. The construction of the old dam around 90 years ago was considered a spectacular feat – this is also the case this time around with the construction of the new dam wall. By replacing the Spitallamm dam with a new structure, KWO is making sure that the water from Lake Grimsel can be used in the long term without placing any restrictions on the production of electricity.
This page contains basic information about the construction site in English. All current content can be found on the website version in German.
Project page
A concise summary of the important information on the Spitallamm major project
Construction site tour
A construction site with the dimensions of the Spitallamm dam wall is not a sight you see every day. We are therefore inviting you to take a close-up look at the construction.
Start of the construction of the Spitallamm replacement dam
The blasting of a demolition charge marked the official start of the construction work for the new Spitallamm replacement dam at Lake Grimsel on 20 June 2019.
Conclusion building season 2020
In a short interview, Ralf Grand, the chief construction manager of the KWO, looks back on the second successful construction season on the Grimsel.
Key figures for the project
Type double curvature dam
Costs approx. CHF 125 million
Construction time 2019-2025
Start of construction June 2019
Height 113 metres
Crest length 212 metres
Major construction site at 1,900 metres above sea level
Media Release 22. März 2019
KWO to build a replacement dam on Lake Grimsel
The start of June 2019 will see construction machinery fire up their engines at Lake Grimsel in the Bernese Oberland, as the Spitallamm dam – one of two dams on Lake Grimsel – is set to be rebuilt. The Board of Directors of Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG (KWO) made the decision to build the dam at today’s meeting.
