Geothermal project in Lavey-les-Bains in Switzerland enters public inquiry
Alexander Richter
3 Jan 2019
A geothermal project that could provide heating and electricity to the local community at Lavey-les-Bains in Switzerland, has held its first public information session with a public inquiry period now running until February 2019.
After expert appraisals from the Federal Office of Energy of Switzerland and the Canton of Vaud, the hydrothermal geothermal project in Lavey-les-Bains was investigated in Lavey-Morcles and Saint-Maurice. This period runs until February 4th. In Lavey-les-Bains is a popular thermal bath and spa complex, called Les Bains de Lavey.
The hydrothermal geothermal project in Lavey-les-Bains was submitted this Thursday to the municipalities of Lavey-Morcles and Saint-Maurice. The public inquiry runs until February 4th. Without a hitch, work should begin by the end of 2019.
In 2018, the concept of AGEPP SA (Alpine Geothermal Power Production) was the subject of an in-depth evaluation by two groups of experts, first appointed by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), the second by the Canton of Vaud. The parties consulted have given favorable notice for the completion of this drilling and the construction of surface facilities intended to develop this geothermal energy. In addition, coordination is being conducted with the Valais authorities for the use of the basement.
As a reminder, the project involves drilling up to a maximum of 3,000 meters deep, to extract water at 110 centigrades with a flow rate of 40 l/s. The development of the energy thus harvested aims at producing 4.2 million kWh of electricity per year and supplying the equivalent of 900 households with electricity as well as geothermal water and thermal energy to the bathing facilities at Les Bains de Lavey in geothermal water and thermal energy. In the longer term, the future realization will aim to use residual heat, particularly in district heating networks.
An information session for the populations of Lavey-Morcles and Saint-Maurice took place on November 16th and brought together more than one hundred inhabitants.
Source: Le Nouvelliste
