The final concreting of the crane runway beams was completed at the end of January, followed by the necessary hardening period. Once the concrete had set, the anchors were tightened to secure the beams. The crane runway will be used to transport materials during construction and will later support the wooden vaulted ceiling of the Schwarzenbachwerk section of the cavern. With the beams now fully in place, the temporary formwork used during the process is being dismantled.
In mid-February, the construction team successfully lifted the crane into position, enabling the next phase of the project to proceed. Tunnel work within the cavern resumed at the end of February.
Meanwhile, excavation on the Schwarzenbach access tunnel began in early February. This tunnel will connect the surge tank to the shaft head cavern. Raise-boring work, scheduled for summer 2025, will create a circular shaft drilled from bottom to top along a pilot bore. This work is essential for further construction phases.
With the crane runway completed, the project continues to move forward, keeping construction on schedule as teams focus on the next critical infrastructure milestones.
Forbach project overview
The Forbach pumped storage project, led by EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, aims to convert and expand the historic Rudolf-Fettweis-Werk into a modern pumped storage power plant. The project, located in Germany’s Northern Black Forest, involves significant excavation work to create the necessary underground infrastructure.
Porr was awarded a €98.3 million contract to build the tunnel system and caverns, which are part of a larger €280 million investment in the plant’s conversion.
