The EWL cooperative generates electricity from hydropower and provides energy, electrical, digital and telecommunications services in the Lauterbrunnen Valley.
EWL Genossenschaft
Lauterbrunnen · Mürren · Wengen · StechelbergNew on Amplifa
About the EWL cooperative
The EWL cooperative (formerly Elektrizitätswerk Lauterbrunnen) is a regional energy and service company founded in 1905 and headquartered in Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland. As a cooperative with around 450 members from the region, it fulfils public-sector duties, in particular the electricity supply of the municipality of Lauterbrunnen with its six districts of Gimmelwald, Isenfluh, Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, Stechelberg and Wengen. Electricity production is 100 percent from renewable sources, with hydropower accounting for the main share at over 92 percent: the centrepiece is the Stechelberg hydropower plant, in operation since 1905 (approx. 20 GWh/year), complemented by the drinking-water power plants Birrmättli (2005, 133 kW) and Spycherboden (2012, 70 kW). From 2025, the Sousbach hydropower plant will be added jointly with BKW. In addition to grid operation and basic supply, the company with around 40 employees offers electrical planning and installation, home automation (smart home), telecommunications, IT services and a 24-hour emergency call-out service for grid faults.
- Site
- Lauterbrunnen
- Processes
- Electricity generation from hydropower (Stechelberg hydropower plant, since 1905), Birrmättli drinking-water power plant (2005), Spycherboden drinking-water power plant (2012), Sousbach hydropower plant (in operation from 2025, with BKW), Electrical planning and installation, Home automation (smart home), Telecommunications and information technology, 24h emergency call-out service for grid faults
- Certificates
- naturemade basic, naturemade star, naturemade star (VUE/SQS), naturemade basic (VUE/SQS)
- Founded
- 1905
- Employees
- ca. 40
- Industries
- Energy supply, Electrical engineering, Telecommunications, Information technology
- 01
Own electricity production from hydropower
- 02
Grid operation and energy distribution
- 03
Basic supply of customers
- 04
Electrical planning and installation
- 05
Home automation, telecommunications and IT
- 06
Energy services
Locations
Lauterbrunnen
CHHeadquarters and business office, drinking-water power plants Birrmättli and Spycherboden
- Drinking-water power plant Birrmättli (133 kW turbine output, 1113 m penstock)
- Drinking-water power plant Spycherboden (70 kW, 300 m head, two 400/1000 V transformers)
Stechelberg
CHStechelberg hydropower plant (since 1905)
- Hydropower plant with 550 m penstock and 252 m head (annual production approx. 20 GWh)
Mürren
CHElectrical business office
Wengen
CHElectrical business office
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity generation from hydropower (Stechelberg hydropower plant, since 1905)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Birrmättli drinking-water power plant (2005)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Spycherboden drinking-water power plant (2012)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sousbach hydropower plant (in operation from 2025, with BKW)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Electrical planning and installationAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Home automation (smart home)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Telecommunications and information technologyAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| 24h emergency call-out service for grid faultsAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
4 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydropower plant (penstock 550 m, head 252 m) | – | 1 | – | 1905 | Stechelberg |
| Drinking-water power plant (turbine output 133 kW, penstock 1113 m) | – | 1 | – | 2005 | Birrmättli, Lauterbrunnen |
| Drinking-water power plant (output 70 kW, head 300 m, two 400/1000 V transformers) | – | 1 | – | 2012 | Spycherboden |
| Sousbach hydropower plant (electricity for 6'700 households) | – | 1 | – | 2025 | Lauterbrunnen |
Additional services
Certificates and quality
The production facilities are certified by the Association for Environmentally Sound Energy (VUE): naturemade star for the Birrmättli drinking-water power plant (2006) and naturemade basic for the Stechelberg hydropower plant (2016), audited by SQS.
| Evidence | Lauterbrunnen |
|---|---|
| naturemade star (VUE/SQS) | |
| naturemade basic (VUE/SQS) |
History
- 1905
Foundation of the EWL cooperative (formerly Elektrizitätswerk Lauterbrunnen); commissioning of the Stechelberg hydropower plant
- 1979
Modernisation of the Stechelberg hydropower plant
- 2005
Construction of the Birrmättli drinking-water power plant, 100 years after the commissioning of Stechelberg
- 2006
naturemade star certificate for the Birrmättli drinking-water power plant (9 November 2006)
- 2010
Renewal and commissioning of the penstock Siebenbrünnen–Spycherboden
- 2012
Commissioning of the Spycherboden drinking-water power plant (KEV facility)
- 2016
naturemade basic certificate for the Stechelberg hydropower plant (22 September 2016)
- 2025
Planned commissioning of the Sousbach hydropower plant (joint venture Sousbach AG with BKW; electricity for approx. 6'700 households)