Veytaux | EinBlick

Discovering the Veytaux pumped-storage power plant (Canton VD)

Forces Motrices Hongrin-Léman SA (FMHL), founded in 1963, has built a hydroelectric power plant with storage and pumped storage power stations. The main structures are the Hongrin dam in the foothills of the Vaud Alps and two underground pumped storage power plants on the edge of Lake Geneva.

With a capacity of 480 megawatts (MW), 60 MW of which are in reserve, the plants generate around one billion kilowatt hours of peak energy per year, equivalent to the consumption of almost 300,000 households.

Pumped storage power plants are an ideal complement to new renewable energies. They can bridge production shortfalls or store surplus electricity at any time and are therefore essential for the stability of the Swiss and European power grids.

Program of the visit

Visit the Veytaux pumped storage power plant, located next to Chillon Castle, on Saturday, September 23, 2023!

The visit will last approximately 2.5 hours.
The first visit is scheduled at 10:00 am and the last one at 3:00 pm.
A friendly drink will be served at the end of the tour.
The tours will start at the following times: 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00.

Organizational aspects

Registration required (max. 25 participants per visit).
A jacket and good shoes are required for the visit.
The visit is suitable for all age groups.
Visitors with reduced mobility or wheelchair users can visit the power plant, but must be independent or accompanied by a person.
Wearers of pacemakers are not advised to visit a hydroelectric power plant.
Some people who suffer from fear of heights or claustrophobia may not feel comfortable visiting the Veytaux power plant.

It is strongly recommended to use public transportation:

Train: "Veytaux-Chillon" stop (www.cff.ch).
Bus: No. 201 from Villeneuve, Vevey or Montreux, stop "Grandchamp" (www.vmcv.ch).
Boat: Lausanne-St-Gingolph line, "Château de Chillon" landing (www.cgn.ch).

Possible parking:

At the Villeneuve train station, on the gravel parking lot (40 spaces during 4 hours).
- Locomotion on foot along the lake (about 15-20 min.).
- Locomotion by VMCV bus from the stop every 7 min (Villeneuve gare or la Plage, https://map.vmcv.ch/?destination=Veytaux-Chillon).
Along the access road to Chillon Castle (white zone, max 3h).

For more information on the design of FMHL, visit: www.fmhl.ch