Ruetzkraftwerk, Protected hydroelectric station in Schönberg im Stubaital, Austria
The Ruetzkraftwerk is a run-of-river power station in the Stubaital that generates electricity from the Ruetz River. The facility uses a water level difference of approximately 175 meters and sits at about 707 meters elevation near Stephans Bridge.
The facility was built between 1909 and 1912 and initially supplied power to the Mittenwaldbahn railway. In 1983 it switched to supplying the public electricity grid.
The station features architectural elements from the early industrial era, with a machine house and director's villa that reflect construction methods of that time. Visitors can observe these preserved structures and understand how people designed industrial buildings in that period.
The power station is reachable via hiking trails and offers views of the mountain scenery. The best time to visit is during dry weather, when the paths are easy to walk.
A set of the original 1912 machinery was preserved and transferred to the Technical Museum Vienna. This historic piece shows visitors how the equipment worked back then.
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