Wasserkraftwerk Rheinfelden

Wasserkraftwerk Rheinfelden stands beside the Rhine in Switzerland, where water, machinery and European electrical history meet. The original plant began operating in 1898 as Europe’s first large-scale hydropower facility. A side canal diverted much of the river into a machine house running parallel with the bank. Twenty turbine-generator sets produced 17,000 horsepower, supplying industries, businesses and households around Rheinfelden.

Three-phase alternating current at 50 hertz enabled efficient transmission and powered electric motors across longer distances. That choice later became Europe’s standard frequency. Early cooperation with the Beznau power station marked a beginning for cross-border electricity supply and interconnected networks. After the original facility closed and was dismantled in 2010, the restored site gained the Kraftwerk 1898 exhibition pavilion in 2012. Original technical equipment, riverside paths, platforms and information points now connect the plant’s engineering story with the Rhine landscape. An IEEE Milestone plaque added international recognition in 2014.