For the construction of the Ritom hydropower plant in Ticino, Switzerland, TEICHMANN CRANES has delivered a 2x10tx15m gantry crane in just 3.5 months to the mountain top.

The Hydropower construction is the most important energy project of the last 50 years in Ticino

The current pumped-storage power plant currently supplies the railway lines of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) with electricity and the entire Ticino region and is now to be replaced by a new hydroelectric power station on the Ritom Lake. The new power plant will supply sustainable energy through´hydropower.

With a total investment of CHF 250 million, the project represents the most important energy project of the last 50 years in the Swiss canton of Ticino and is expected to be completed in 2023.

Crane works at 1,850 meters in altitude

For the new hydroelectric power station, a pressure tunnel will be built by means of blasting. For this purpose, the 20t gantry crane will be used at the tunnel building site for the removal of building materials and supply of construction machinery. The crane will be used over a 55m deep shaft and lift things in and out. Overall, the crane has a lifting height of 65m, of which 55m are below ground.

The gantry crane was completely overhauled mechanically and electrically and then assembled on site with a TEICHMANN directional master. Especially the assembly conditions were difficult, because the construction site is located at 1,850 meters above sea level and can only be reached by cableway. The cableway was only able to transport a maximum load of 12t per trip so that all crane parts had to be adjusted accordingly in order to be transported to the top of the mountain.

In addition to the gantry crane, TEICHMANN CRANES also supplied a total of 100m in crane rails.