Three dead in explosion at Italian hydropower plant

• 7 months ago (2024-04-11)
• David Flin

Europe 1089 Hydropower 131

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At least three people have been killed and four are missing after a fire and explosion underground at the Bargi hydropower plant in northern Italy.

Enel confirmed that a fire had broken out on one of the transformers at the hydropower plant. There had been an explosion at around 3pm local time on 10 April at a dam on Lake Suviana, one of three artificial lakes that feed to the power station.

Enel has not commented on the cause. It said that the dam basin had not been damaged and that the plant was offline at the time of the incident, so there was no impact on electricity supply.

The incident has angered trade unions about workplace safety in Italy. Enel workers plan to strike for eight hours over the issue on 11 April, while workers in other sectors will stage a previously planned four-hour stoppage.

Matteo Lepore, Mayor of Bologna, said: “Unfortunately, the conditions for recovery are not good. The depth of this blast is very deep, over 70 metres. The fires are now out.”

The power plant had been undergoing efficiency improvements, with the work being carried out primarily by three companies: Siemens Energy , ABB , and Voith . Enel Green Power said that testing of a first group of turbines had recently been completed and that work to test a second group of turbines was ongoing at the time of the accident.