Štěchovice Hydroelectric Power Station

The Štěchovice I hydroelectric power station was the second built piece of the Vltava Cascade (1938-1944). The dam is 22.5 m high, 120 m long and has five overflow fields.

Its reservoir has a capacity of 11.2 million m³ of water and serves mainly to balance outflow from the top Slapy power plant. The plant is equipped with two Kaplan turbine sets. It is one of the most important technical buildings commenced during the First Republic.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Vltava River was widely used for both rafting and classic navigation. Mainly wood, stone and salt were transported. At that time, the first projects for the construction of two high dams at Slapy and Orlík were created. The first two waterworks of the cascade, Vrané and Štěchovice, were built just with regard to navigation purposes.

The visit starts with two short films about water energy and the Vltava Cascade. Furthermore, the group gets a lot of interesting information about the plant and its history.

Then the group goes for the tour of the plant itself. There is a possibility to see a flow turbine and pumped-storage power plants, an alternator and the unique dam floodgate for boat transportation.

The tour also includes an exhibition of photographs and equipment from the history of the plant, including the construction during WW2 and the floods in 2002. The group will also visit the former control room with monitors showing different parts of the plant.