From October 7th to 9th, the ETIP Hydropower Secretariat held its annual meeting in the French Alps. The sessions aimed to discuss actions that highlight the importance of sustainable energy solutions and reinforce the role of hydropower in the energy transition. Members exchanged insights in a professional environment, focusing on the technical achievements and future direction of the project.

During the meeting, ETIP members explored the next steps for the project, reviewed work packages, addressed challenges and opportunities for a financially sustainable ETIP, and define the architecture of the 2025 Hydropower Day. This annual event is scheduled to take place in Brussels on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. Save the date! 

The 2025 Hydro Day will focus on hydropower's contribution to energy transition, with three sessions planned:

• Session 1: The value of hydropower in providing flexibility and energy storage in a safe energy transition.
• Session 2: Hydropower and environmental partnerships.
• Session 3: Hydropower and climate change: challenges and opportunities for mitigation.

The meeting not only offered the consortium an opportunity to convene, exchange ideas, and discuss the latest developments in hydropower, but also included a site visit to the historic Bioge-Jotty hydropower plant.

Photo 1: ETIP secretariat visiting the Bioge Hydropower Plant (Iraia Nuñez, Matteo Bianciotto, Federico Spadaro, Anton Schleiss, Janire Garcia, Andrej Misech, Mark Morris, Tasniem Jawaid, Lee William Estrellado, and Jean-Jacques Fry).

The visit was managed by EDF, with a presentation of the hydropower scheme by Sebastien Girardier (Photo 2). The Jotty Hydropower Plant (Photo 3), located in the Haute-Savoie region of France, sits in the scenic Vallée d’Aulps, just above the renowned Gorges du Pont du Diable. The plant, which is situated on the Dranse de Morzine river, plays a significant role in the local energy infrastructure. It generates 98 million kWh of electricity annually using four turbines, powered by the Lac du Jotty reservoir—a 1.1 hm³, 1.5 km-long body of water formed by the Jotty arch dam.

Photo 2: The hydro scheme of La Bioge HPP                                                                                                Photo 3: The Jotty arch dam Courtesy Photo Yvan Tisseyre-OT Vallée d’Aulps

During the visit, Samuel Hubert from Hydrostadium provided an introduction to the Jotty dam, which was constructed between 1946 and 1949. The arch dam stands 22.5 meters high and spans 120 meters in length. In 2015, the dam faced a major challenge when a flood with a 200-year return period eroded the banks, uprooted trees, and caused a dense blockage in front of the dam’s bottom gate and gallery (Photo 4).

Restoring normal operations required several years of work and innovative solutions. A remote-controlled bulldozer was developed to remove the accumulated sediment, and divers were later brought in to complete the clearing of the conduit (Photo 5). This highlights the ongoing efforts required to maintain and preserve such critical infrastructure.

Photo 4: The bottom intake in empty reservoir (left) and the tree jamming (right)              Photo 5: The bull dozer and its positioning controlled by computer