Chavalon abandoned power plant | Canton Valais
Updated: Jan 28, 2022
In the canton of Valais, Switzerland there is an abandoned power plant which has been out of operation since 20 years. Its humungous structure on top of the mountain stands out, being a fascinating construction which is visible from almost the whole of canton Vaud and part of canton Valais. They stopped producing electricity in 1999. So for over 20 years it has simply stood there. In 2009 the demolition of the boilers took place, however this was never completed, therefore you can still have a look at the half taken down installations. In 2017 any other projects on this installation had stopped, some say due to the new regulations on the implemented “energy strategy 2050”. Now it simply stands there and is visited by explorers with a fascination for abandoned places.
One a side note, driving up, just before I turned the corner to the center, I saw a mountain worker which took my breath away. See the picture below. That’s the beauty about exploring, you will always see unexpected incredible things!
In a nutshell:
- The power plant was built in 1965 and produced electricity for the nearby region.
- Over 500’000 houses were fueled with electricity from this center.
- The boilers are simply impressive! Each of the 4 boilers are about 40 meters high.
- The Chimney is over 120 meters high and is the highest one in Switzerland.
- The workers were housed at the installation, and below you can see the abandoned houses, very much in a 1970's style.
- The view from the top is extremely beautiful.
For all explorers who have a passion for abandoned sites, this one is really worth a visit! Even the drive is incredible and it is fascinating to see the installation in its abandoned worn down state.
The best way to learn about history and culture is to get out there and explore!
We are generation change!
Enjoy! Yours truly,
© Isabel Buchbinder
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