Large Run-off River Hydropower Plants in the Catchment Basin of the Elbe River

In Germany, the threshold value between small and large hydropower plants (HPP) is defined at a generator power of 1 MW. The present paper describes the status quo of large run-off river HPPs in the German catchment basin of the Elbe river. Currently, there are no conditions (weirs) for the utilization of the large hydropower potential (approx. 1 TWh/a) of the Elbe river itself. However, there are thirty two HPPs at the tributaries of the Elbe river having a total installed power of 60 MW works, whereof 52 MW account for the Saale and Mulde river basins in nearly equal parts. The installation of new HPPs at existing weirs with a total power of 16 to 18 MW is under investigation.