Officine Idroelettriche della Maggia SA

Officine Idroelettriche della Maggia SA (Ofima), also known as Maggia Kraftwerke AG, is a Swiss hydropower company headquartered in Locarno, Ticino. Founded in 1949, it is one of the most important hydropower producers in Switzerland, supplying clean and renewable electricity to nearly one million people. The company operates a complex of hydropower plants on behalf of seven shareholders, providing over a hundred jobs in the Locarnese and Vallemaggia regions. Its facilities harness the water of the Maggia River and its tributaries down to Lake Maggiore, with an installed capacity of approximately 600 MW. The system includes 35 water intakes, 140 km of tunnels and pipelines, 8 reservoirs, and 7 power plants. The gross head of almost 2,200 m between the Gries basin at 2,386 m above sea level and Lake Maggiore at 193 m is the highest utilized by a series of large storage plants in Switzerland. The company's plants are largely underground, extending over 60 km between the Gries basin in the upper Valais and the Verbano plant in Brissago on Lake Maggiore. Ofima's history is marked by two main construction phases: the 1950s saw the 'Maggia 1' plants (Sambuco, Peccia, Cavergno, Verbano), while the second half of the 1960s added the 'Maggia 2' plants (Cavagnoli-Naret, Robiei, Bavona). A planned third phase was never implemented. The company is owned by Axpo Holding (30%), Canton Ticino (20%), Alpiq Holding (12.5%), IWB (12.5%), Elektrizitätswerk der Stadt Zürich (10%), BKW Energie AG (10%), and Energie Wasser Bern (5%).

Officine Idroelettriche della Maggia SA (Ofima) was established following the concession granted by the Grand Council of the Canton of Ticino on 10 March 1949 for the use of the Maggia River and its tributaries down to Lake Maggiore. The company was founded on 10 December 1949. The first construction phase, carried out between 1950 and 1955, included the Lago del Sambuco reservoir and the Peccia, Cavergno, and Verbano power plants. This concession runs until 2035. In the 1960s, the second phase added the reservoirs Lago dei Cavagnöö, Lago del Narèt, Lago di Robièi, Lago del Zött, and the Bavona power plant, with concessions valid until 2048. A planned third phase was never implemented; some projects, such as the Lago del Zött and the use of Lago Sfundau, were incorporated into the second phase. During the construction of the 13 km free-flow tunnel between the Altstafel machine house and Lago di Robièi in the second phase, a serious accident occurred on 15 February 1966. While draining accumulated water through a gate in a bulkhead, two firefighters from Locarno and two groups of Italian guest workers died from suffocation, resulting in 17 fatalities. The accident caused international tensions between Switzerland and Italy. In October 2018, the small Borgnone hydropower plant was commissioned, utilizing the water from the Cavergno–Palagnedra tunnel and the head between the Isorno intake and Lago di Palagnedra. The company continues to operate its plants, which are largely underground and extend over 60 km between the Gries basin in the upper Valais and the Verbano plant in Brissago.

• 2018

  Borgnone small hydropower plant commissioned in October.

• 1991

  Small vertical Kaplan turbine installed at Peccia using head between Corgello intake and Peccia compensation basin.

• 1966

  Robièi tunnel accident on 15 February causes 17 deaths.

• 1960

  Second construction phase begins, adding Cavagnöö, Narèt, Robièi, Zött reservoirs and Bavona plant.

• 1955

  First phase completed.

• 1950

  First construction phase begins, including Lago del Sambuco and Peccia, Cavergno, Verbano plants.

• 1949

  Grand Council of Ticino grants concession on 10 March; Ofima founded on 10 December.

One of Switzerland's most important hydropower producers, providing clean and renewable electricity to nearly one million people.

• Hydroelectric power generation

• Peak energy

• Storage energy

1. 1Home - Ofima - Officine Idroelettriche della Maggia SAofima.ch
2. 2Officine idroelettriche della Maggia - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Maggia Kraftwerke - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org