Enel Riva Hydroelectric Plant Opens Doors for Public Tours

The idea of Enel Produzione opening the gates of the Riva Hydroelectric Plant to the public for an entire morning proved to be truly spot-on.

Exploration and Guided Tours of the Plant

Various visitors, yesterday, from nine in the morning until noon, took advantage of the opportunity to explore the “secrets” of the historic plant. Accompanied by some technicians from the company, many curious attendees—including numerous students and even a few foreign tourists vacationing on Lake Garda—were able to walk peacefully inside the vast turbine hall, through the various rooms housing the alternators and transformers, and along the tunnel leading to the penstock.

Everyone then found themselves literally agape, gazing upward in awe at the staircase that ascends alongside the pipe to the S. Barbara refuge.

History and Technology of the Plant

It was also a perfect occasion to learn a bit about the history of this plant, which at the time of its construction (the work, lasting a total of four years, was completed in 1928), was at the cutting edge thanks to its turbines, which were then the most powerful in the world.

Throughout the visit, a documentary about the history of the plant was projected onto a large screen set up in a corner of the facility, showcasing the construction operations of the impressive structure, which involved hundreds of workers, including laborers and engineers.

Among them was engineer Moro, responsible for setting the dynamite charges for demolishing the final rock diaphragm.

Meetings and Visitors’ Testimonies

Yesterday, also visiting the Riva plant was Giuseppina, the daughter of engineer Moro. “It’s a real emotion for me to return here,” she recounts. “The last time I was here was in 1950, with my father.”

“Over all these years, the plant has changed so much. Of course, everything has been done very well and with safety in mind, but it’s a different place compared to back then. Especially the roar of the water, which almost took your breath away, and which can no longer be heard.”

“This was more than just a structure; it was a true enterprise for all the men who contributed to its creation. They were all united towards a common goal.”