St. Georgen am Reith, 1922
Construction begins on the Düker Bridge—a landmark takes shape
As electrification progressed, the demand for electricity grew, making hydroelectric power generation increasingly important.
In 1921, Opponitz was chosen as the site for the power plant due to its optimal conditions. The turbines are powered by a portion of the Ybbs River’s water, which is dammed at a weir in Göstling an der Ybbs.
The driving force of water is channeled through tunnels and pipelines via the Königsberg and the Friesling to the power plant in Opponitz. With the tools available 100 years ago, the work was still very arduous and had to be done largely by hand. As a result, the pipeline running through the Ybbs in St. Georgen am Reith was destroyed and obstructed several times by flooding, leading to the decision to construct a pipe bridge—colloquially known as the “Dückerbrücke.”
An architectural landmark had been created in St. Georgen am Reith. On December 9, 1924, water flowed through the pipes for the first time, and the generators at the Opponitz power plant produced electricity for the first time. Just as it was back then, this electricity is used in the surrounding communities of the Ybbs Valley and in the city of Vienna, which still owns these facilities.
