Kahlenberg power station, Run-of-the-river power station in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
Kahlenberg power station is a run-of-the-river facility located along the sluice canal between Dohneinsel and the Mülheim Ruhr lock. The installation uses Francis double chamber and Kaplan turbines to generate electricity for local water treatment operations.
Construction began in 1924 to supply energy to local water facilities following shortages after World War I. The project addressed the energy deficit affecting the Styrum and Dohne areas during that period.
The building was designed by notable architects Arthur Pfeifer and Hans Großmann and features sandstone from the Ruhr region. Today, it stands as a protected monument that reflects early 20th-century industrial architecture and shows how power generation facilities were built to blend with their surroundings.
The site sits directly along the waterway and is best accessed on foot or by bicycle. It is well integrated into the local infrastructure and offers views of the Ruhr and its related structures.
A former turbine chamber was transformed into a fish ladder system in the 1990s to support the recovery of fish populations in German rivers. This conversion demonstrates how older industrial facilities can be adapted for environmental conservation goals.
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