Dam wall Lake Räterichsboden

The artificial lake Räterichsboden is located in the Grimsel area in the Bernese Oberland. It is fed with water from the upper Aare. With its volume of around 25 million cubic meters it is one of the three largest reservoirs of the power plants company Oberhasli (KWO). The construction of the dam wall was completed in 1950 with a crest length of 456 meters and a height of 94 meters. When the water rushes down to the valley, it develops an enormous power, which is used by the power plants Handeck 2 and Handeck 3. Handeck 2 consists of four turbines and produces with a used drop height of 463 meters and a performance of 136 MW per year approximately 280 GWh of electric energy. Thus, it is among the eleven centrals the one which generates the third most electric power. Handeck 3 serves not only for energy production, but fulfills far more functions. Therefore, it produces with a maximum performance of 56 MW  only 40 GWh of electric energy.

On the dam the water virgin Mélisande created by the artist Pierre Mettraux is exposed since September 2007.