Schwarzach is a 120 MW hydro power station in Salzburg, Austria. It is operated by Verbund. Based on reported annual generation of 461 GWh, it can supply roughly 132k homes. It ranks #44 of 131 Austria power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1960, it is around 66 years old — an older, legacy facility. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 51.8% of Austria's electricity; the national grid averages 117 gCO₂/kWh (83.6% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1005240.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000600114; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 120 MW, Schwarzach is well above the median hydro plant in Austria (30 MW). Technically it is described as run-of-river. Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Load factor
- 44%, from 461 GWh of reported generation, in line with the 44% median for 18 hydro plants in Austria
- Generation trend
- 435 GWh in 2015 and 461 GWh in 2017 (+6%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2017: 461 GWh; 2015: 435 GWh
- Share of Austria hydro capacity
- 1.3% of 9,237 MW across 96 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 23 of 94 dated hydro plants in Austria are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Reported generation trend
Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Verbund. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a subarctic (boreal) climate (Köppen Dfc) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 47.3°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 110% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 95/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #26 largest hydro power plant of 96 in Austria by capacity.
Austria has 96 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 9,237 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Wallnerau Salzach stage · Hydro · 13 MW · Salzburg
- St. Veit · Hydro · 16 MW · Salzburg
- St. Johann · Hydro · 16 MW · Salzburg
- Urreiting · Hydro · 16 MW · Salzburg
- Bischofshofen · Hydro · 16 MW · Salzburg
- Kreuzbergmaut · Hydro · 17.7 MW · Salzburg
Location
Coordinates 47.3152, 13.1389 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Schwarzach?
Schwarzach is a 120 MW hydro power plant in Salzburg, Austria, commissioned in 1960.
How much electricity does Schwarzach generate?
Schwarzach generates about 461 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Schwarzach?
Schwarzach is operated by Verbund.