Kraftwerk Grimsel 2

Useful Information

Location:	Visitor Centre Grimselwelt at the Grimsel Hospiz. From Luzern A2, A8/R4 Martisberg, Grimselstraße/R11/R6 to Grimsel Pass, turn right to Grimsel Hospitz. (46.571413, 8.331217)
Open:	Besucherzentrum Grimsel Hospiz: JUN to OCT daily. Kraftwerksführung Hospiz «Grimsel Undergrund»: 07-JUN to 19-OCT daily. Winterführung «Grimsel Undergrund»: 20-OCT to 14-DEC daily 12:50. 07-JAN to 06-JUN daily 12:50. Online booking mandatory. [2025]
Fee:	Besucherzentrum Grimsel Hospiz: free. Kraftwerksführung Hospiz «Grimsel Undergrund»: Adults CHF 38, Children (6-15) CHF 26. Winterführung «Grimsel Undergrund»: Adults CHF 75, Children (6-15) CHF 65. [2025]
Classification:	Underground Power Plant
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:
Guided tours:	Kraftwerksführung Hospiz «Grimsel Undergrund»: D=2 h, Max=15, MinAge=6. Winterführung «Grimsel Undergrund»: D=4 h, Max=15, MinAge=6.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	KWO, Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG, 3862 Innertkirchen, Tel: +41-33-9822011. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

The Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG is one of the leading hydroelectric power companies of the Alps. It produces electricity in numerous power plants in the southern Kanton Bern. The most impressive power plants are located around the Grimsel Pass. The power station Grimsel 2 is open to the public. It is a Pumpspeicherwerk (pumped storage plant) where unneeded electricity is used to pump water up, and when electricity is needed it flows down agan producing electricity. This is called pumped hydro energy storage or gravity-based energy storage. In times of increasing amounts of wind and solar power, the intermittency of renewable sources becomes a big problem. Storage systems like this gain increasing importance.

A visit to the power station includes various sites and takes two hours. It starts and ends at the Besucherzentrum Grimselstrom (visitor center Grimsel electricity) on the Grimsel Hospiz. It starts with a ride on the Hospizbahn across the dam and lake to the tunnel. The first stop is the Grimsel 1 power station, and from there the tunnel bus brings the visitors to the Grimsel 2 pumped storage power station. Back through the tunnel the Gerstenegg crystal cave is reached. Finally, the Hospiz railway takes the group back up from underground to the Hospiz viewing platform. It is also possible to visit only the museum which is open daily and free.

There are three underground sites which are connected by the tunnels: pumped storage plant Grimsel 2, Kristallkluft Gerstenegg, and the Grimsel Test Site. They were operated separately at some point, but currently there is only a combo tour of the power plant and the crystal cave available. During summer the tour starts at the Visitor Centre Grimselwelt at the Grimsel Hospiz. During winter the Visitor Center is closed, but there is a single tour every day which starts at the hydroelectric power plant in Innertkirchen. In other words, during summer you drive up yourself but the tour is shorter and cheaper, during winter you are transported from the valley but the tour takes longer and is more expensive.