Kleinkraftwerke#

Power Plants, Small-scale, in Austria, these are electricity generating stations with an output capacity of up to 5,000 kW (in the rest of Europe up to 10,000 kW). Most of them (90%) are hydroelectric or thermal power stations (mainly diesel-engine generators), in addition there are several wind power stations ( Wind Energy). In 1993 (more recent statistics not available) there were 1861 hydroelectric power stations in Austria, 1,690 (91%) of them small-scale power stations with a total output capacity of 600 MW, or generation of about 3,000 GWh electricity. Around one third of all small-scale power stations belong to electrical public utilities, two thirds are private. About half of the small-scale power stations were started before 1940 and therefore need renewal and modernisation. 97.8% of the small-scale power stations are run by flowing water. The number of small-scale power stations not statistically registered is estimated at around 2,000, each of them with an output capacity of less than 30 kW. This is enough power to serve 6 households. Most of these power stations originated from old mills, hammer or sawmills that were closed long ago.