Solar power Repower solar plant in Laax GR could be built

The planned alpine solar plant at the Laax ski resort can be built. The Graubünden government has granted the joint project by Repower and the Weisse Arena Group a legally binding building permit. However, the partners have not yet made a construction decision due to the uncertain economic viability of the project.

Repower announced on Monday that no complaints against the large-scale solar plant had been received within the statutory objection period of 30 days. The Vorab solar plant is thus one of the first projects in Switzerland to receive a legally binding building permit as part of the federal government's Solar Express program.

The high-alpine solar plant is to be built to the east of the glacier tongue of the Vorab glacier near the mountain railway station there. Around 22,000 modules with a production capacity of 8.6 megawatts are planned on an area of 150,000 square meters. They should supply around 12 gigawatt hours of electricity per year. The gross investment for the realization is estimated at over 35 million Swiss francs.

However, it is still unclear whether construction will take place. Although the location is very suitable and the project can count on federal subsidies, economic viability remains a major challenge, wrote Repower. Weisse Arena Bergbahnen AG and Repower therefore do not want to make a construction decision until binding offers have been submitted and the final federal subsidies have been clarified.