Down to the last Drop
The documentary "Down to the Last Drop – Tyrol and Its Hydropower," directed by Harry Putz and produced by PAN member Wildwasser Erhalten Tirol (WET), is now available for free streaming starting today.
Down to the Last Drop - Trailer
The Oetz River faces a severe threat as plans are underway to divert up to 80% of its flow for the expansion of the Kaunertal hydropower facility. In response, WET has created a short documentary to spotlight these plans and their devastating impacts.
In the film, director Harry Putz takes viewers through the untouched high alpine Platzertal valley, targeted for damming to serve as a new reservoir for the Tyrolean state energy supplier, TIWAG. Putz conducts interviews with locals, experts, and environmentalists to shed light on the ramifications of the project. This expansion at Kaunertal, which includes multiple reservoirs, power stations, tunnels, and dams, represents the most significant hydropower development in Central Europe in recent years. The project will stretch across the entire Ötztal Alps and would irreversibly alter the Ötztaler Ache, Austria's last major glacial river yet to be heavily impacted by energy production.
The documentary, "Down to the Last Drop – Tyrol and Its Hydropower," raises crucial questions about the expansion of the Kaunertal power plant, the role of hydropower in Tyrol, and the broader implications for the energy transition.
The film can be accessed for free online from April 26, 2024, at www.wet-tirol.at/drop.
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