Goldisthal pumped storage power plant construction

The Challenge

Plans to build a pumped storage power plant in Goldisthal, near the Thuringian Forest, had existed since the 1960s. However, funding limitations under the GDR and ecological concerns in the sensitive region delayed the project for decades.

The Solution

After adapting the plans to meet environmental regulations and address local concerns, construction began on a massive upper reservoir with a capacity of 13 million m³—enough for eight hours of full turbine operation. Two 800-metre pressure tunnels connect the reservoir to a large underground machine cavern housing the pump turbines.

The Impact

Goldisthal is now the largest hydropower plant in Germany and one of the most advanced in Europe. With four 265 MW Francis pump turbines—two operating at constant and two at variable speed—it plays a key role in supporting Germany’s energy transition.