5 ms·

Does anyone know of interesting tours you can take of electricity production in Europe or energy infrastructure in general? I'm in The Netherlands, but would be

by avar 10y ago

Does anyone know of interesting tours you can take of electricity production in Europe or energy infrastructure in general? I'm in The Netherlands, but would be willing to travel for it. A real tour of a nuclear plant would be awesome (i.e. getting to hear / see the reactor), but tours of wind farms / turbines / dams etc. would also be great. Preferably in English.

sgift 10y ago
You could do tours of Isar 2 a few years ago (German nuclear plant: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isar_Nuclear_Power_Plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isar_Nuclear_Power_Plant), including walking through the inner reactor area. I'm not sure if they still do these tours now that Germany has decided to phase out nuclear energy, but asking couldn't hurt.
bemmu 10y ago
You can visit the repository for low and intermediate level operating waste at Olkiluoto, Finland: http://www.tvo.fi/visitorcentre http://www.tvo.fi/visitorcentre
radicalbyte 10y ago
I remember visiting a hydro plant in Wales. It was very interesting.
- estel 10y ago
  Dinorwig? http://www.electricmountain.co.uk/ http://www.electricmountain.co.uk/
sz4kerto 10y ago
You can take a tour in the nuclear plant in Hungary (Paks). Also, the technical uni has a mini reactor and you can actually look at the glowing blue water (Cherenkov radiation).
ivanmilles 10y ago
Chernobyl is still open for tours, afaik. You won't get very close to any of the running reactors (and not the closed one, of course) but the tours generally go through the complex' main road and through the Pripyat ghost town.
- lgeek 10y ago
  > You won't get very close to any of the running reactors They've all been decommissioned. #3 was the last one to shut down in 2000. On a related note, this Youtube user [0] has videos from what appear to be tours inside units 2, 3 and 4 (the one which suffered the meltdown in '86). The one from the reactor hall in unit 2 [1] is particularly interesting. [0] https://www.youtube.com/user/Thallium208/videos https://www.youtube.com/user/Thallium208/videos [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe_zzTQFV3o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe_zzTQFV3o
  - 0x0 10y ago
    I can't help but think of Half-Life and Portal watching those videos. Quite incredible footage.
- kogepathic 10y ago
  The last reactor in Chernobyl shut down in 2000. [0] The whole complex is in the process of being decommissioned. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_Nuclear_Power_Plant#Plant_shutdown_and_decommissioning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_Nuclear_Power_Plant#...
estel 10y ago
Lots of Nuclear plants in the UK offer tours, though lots are aimed at school groups. The Sizewell B tour looks like it might be the most extensive: https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/education/visitor-centres https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/education/visitor-centres
piva00 10y ago
I went last year to Forsmark here in Sweden, they have a very awesome tour, didn't go to the actual reactor (heard that they had it but don't know if it's still possible to do). They showed us the nuclear waste disposal facility on the grounds of the power plant, it's temporary while Sweden builds a huge disposal facility for all of the country's nuclear waste (and it looks like a scenario for Half-Life, it was very cool). Apart from the nuclear disposal facility our tour also went to the reactor control room simulator where the technicians practice and get certified (we could even try the SCRAM procedure and all) and also showed the grounds around the facility, where the water that cools the reactor comes and goes to, etc. Would completely recommend doing it if you are ever in Sweden and can manage to go there.
kbart 10y ago
Vilnius has a small Energy and Technology Museum[0] located in the building of the first power plant (opened in 1903) in country. Probably not worth going to Vilnius just for it, but if you happened to be nearby, it's worth its time. 0. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g274951-d1886449-Reviews-Energy_and_Technology_Museum-Vilnius_Vilnius_County.html https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g274951-d18864...
- mantas 10y ago
  In addition to that, Ignalina (150km-ish from Vilnius) nuclear power plant, which is currently being disassembled, offers tours too.
  - bobthechef 10y ago
    That power plant was supposed to be upgraded and expanded as a part of a joint project between Lithuania and its neighbors to deliver power to Lithuania and those neighbors. Nothing came of it.
ErikCorry 10y ago
Hydro power inside a mountain in Scotland: http://www.visitcruachan.co.uk/ http://www.visitcruachan.co.uk/
j4mie 10y ago
Travel to the island of Islay (off the west coast of Scotland) and head to the tiny village of Portnahaven. From there, walk north along the coast for half an hour or so and look out for the Islay LIMPET, the world's first commercial wave power device connected to the United Kingdom's National Grid. It looks like this (photo I took when I was there earlier in the year) https://www.instagram.com/p/BD1Ao-1IaXi/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BD1Ao-1IaXi/ Details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islay_LIMPET https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islay_LIMPET It's not a "tour" (it's unmanned) but it's fascinating. While you're on Islay, you can also enjoy whisky, wildlife and being in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
- billybofh 10y ago
  And if you're so inclined you can pop over to Jura and have a nosey around the cottage Orwell wrote most of 1984 in :-) It's quite a pretty spot too :-) https://flic.kr/p/kkwkuk https://flic.kr/p/kkwkuk
dantheman 10y ago
It would be next to impossible to get access to a commissioned nuclear powerplant and enter containment as a visitor. However, there is a nuclear power plant in vienna that was never used and can be visited: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwentendorf_Nuclear_Power_Plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwentendorf_Nuclear_Power_Plan... Additionally, many universities have research reactors - they often have tours or a tour can be easily arranged.
- masklinn 10y ago
  > It would be next to impossible to get access to a commissioned nuclear powerplant and enter containment as a visitor. Pish posh, it's absolutely possible to visit active nuclear plants, usually for free, though you may need a small group (half a dozen or more) depending on the operator.
  - witty_username 10y ago
    But can you enter containment?
    - sgift 10y ago
      Yes, you can. The only area we didn't visit when I toured Isar 2 was the control room (we looked through the window and got a description of the various parts and their function).
      - avar 10y ago
        How did you arrange this? Is this something you just sign up, or do you call them and assure them you're enthusiastic about nuclear energy and eventually they relent?
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- justincormack 10y ago
  Great tour description here by Charlie Stross http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/rants/nothing-like-this-will-be-buil.html http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/rants/nothing-li...
flac 10y ago
I’ve been to two power plants in the Czech republic: Temelin, nuclear power plan [1]. Pretty nice information center in a historical building with models, plant simulator and a small cinema. Although the most exciting part is visiting the actual power plant site - generators, accompanying infrastructure, going through radiation check point. Not sure if the site visit is publicly available. Lipno, hydro plant [2]. Not as interesting information center as in Temelin, but the underground facility with turbines, generators and outlet tunnels makes you realize the huge mass of water in the dam and the amount of power the plant is able to generate. The next item on my bucket list is pumped-storage in Dlouhe Strane [3], which looks like a hill with the peak cut off, having there a large pond instead. Sources: [1] https://www.cez.cz/en/power-plants-and-environment/nuclear-power-plants/temelin/information-centre.html https://www.cez.cz/en/power-plants-and-environment/nuclear-p... [2] https://www.cez.cz/en/contacts/information-centers/lipno-information-centers.html https://www.cez.cz/en/contacts/information-centers/lipno-inf... [3] https://www.cez.cz/en/contacts/information-centers/dlouhe-strane-information-centers.html https://www.cez.cz/en/contacts/information-centers/dlouhe-st...
- enticeing 10y ago
  Near where I live is the Taum Sauk pumped storage plant [1], which actually overtopped in 2005 and flooded the valley below. You can see where the water cleared trees and things [2], and where the reservoir broke [3]. It drained over 3.7 billion liters in 20-30 minutes. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taum_Sauk_Hydroelectric_Power_Station https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taum_Sauk_Hydroelectric_Power_... [2] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Tscompare.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Tscompar... [3] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Taum_Sauk_reservoir-FERC_12-22-05_01.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Taum_Sau...
sushimako 10y ago
Austria's largest electricity provider "Verbund" offers tours at many of their facilities (mostly hydro-power): https://www.verbund.com/en-at/about-verbund/visitors-centres https://www.verbund.com/en-at/about-verbund/visitors-centres
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
ptaipale 10y ago
In addition to the other ones listed, the Olkiluoto nuclear plant in Finland takes tour groups. You have to book it 2 weeks in advance, and send personal information ahead, and have ID with you, but it is nice. Web info unfortunately only in Finnish, but guides can handle English of course: http://www.tvo.fi/vierailukeskus http://www.tvo.fi/vierailukeskus Also the other Finnish nuclear plant in Loviisa (with Soviet-designed PWR reactors) may take visitors but does not organize it on daily basis.
karlerss 10y ago
There's an oil shale museum in Estonia. The tour covers visiting actual underground oil shale mine tunnels and a general museum about oil shale enrichment, chemistry and energetics. See: http://kaevandusmuuseum.ee/eng/ http://kaevandusmuuseum.ee/eng/
krona 10y ago
You can tour https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station, which includes going deep in to the Elidir Fawr mountain, and tours around the turbine hall and other interesting things. Or at least you could 10 years ago.
- timthorn 10y ago
  You still can. Impressive bit of engineering.
rihegher 10y ago
You can visit the one in Gravelines which has 6 reactors and is not too far from The Netherlands. https://www.edf.fr/groupe-edf/producteur-industriel/carte-des-implantations/centrale-nucleaire-de-gravelines/visitez-la-centrale https://www.edf.fr/groupe-edf/producteur-industriel/carte-de...
petre 10y ago
You can tour the joint RO/RS Iron Gates dam. Is's ratger impressive although at least Russia, China and Canada/US have bigger hydropower stations.
davedx 10y ago
Another Scotland recommendation- Ben Cruachan hydro dam has a nice visitor center. Its on the west coast. I work for Vandebron in the Netherlands. Some of our smaller producers are happy to show visitors around. It helps if you are one of the households they are supplying of course ;)
- jsingleton 10y ago
  Ben Cruachan is great and free if you come by train. The walk up to the top is good on a nice day but not easy. I went in the summer and there's a photo at the bottom of this blog post: https://unop.uk/mobile-gb-rail-live-departure-boards/ https://unop.uk/mobile-gb-rail-live-departure-boards/
  - davedx 10y ago
    Yes, I also climbed it once, on a fantastic clear summer day. The view was amazing, could see many of the islands from the summit. Would love to do it again sometime.
jsingleton 10y ago
Nuclear power stations are surprisingly boring. It's mostly solid state, relatively quiet and inaccessible (for obvious reasons). I went on a trip to Dungeness (Kent) and it looks like you still can[0] along with 6 others. For pumped storage there is Dinorwig[1] (North Wales) and Cruachan (West Scotland). If you arrive by public transport you can get a free tour of the Cruachan pumped storage hydro plant. [0]: https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/education/visitor-centres https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/education/visitor-centres [1]: http://www.electricmountain.co.uk/ http://www.electricmountain.co.uk/ [2]: http://www.visitcruachan.co.uk/ http://www.visitcruachan.co.uk/ Edit: There's a photo at the bottom of this blog post from my visit to Cruachan last summer: https://unop.uk/mobile-gb-rail-live-departure-boards https://unop.uk/mobile-gb-rail-live-departure-boards If you're in the French Alps then you could visit Grand'Maison on a bad weather day: http://www.musee-edf-hydrelec.com/ http://www.musee-edf-hydrelec.com/

by avar 10y ago

sgift 10y ago

You could do tours of Isar 2 a few years ago (German nuclear plant: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isar_Nuclear_Power_Plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isar_Nuclear_Power_Plant), including walking through the inner reactor area. I'm not sure if they still do these tours now that Germany has decided to phase out nuclear energy, but asking couldn't hurt.

bemmu 10y ago

You can visit the repository for low and intermediate level operating waste at Olkiluoto, Finland: http://www.tvo.fi/visitorcentre http://www.tvo.fi/visitorcentre

radicalbyte 10y ago

I remember visiting a hydro plant in Wales. It was very interesting.

estel 10y ago
Dinorwig? http://www.electricmountain.co.uk/ http://www.electricmountain.co.uk/

sz4kerto 10y ago

You can take a tour in the nuclear plant in Hungary (Paks). Also, the technical uni has a mini reactor and you can actually look at the glowing blue water (Cherenkov radiation).

ivanmilles 10y ago

Chernobyl is still open for tours, afaik. You won't get very close to any of the running reactors (and not the closed one, of course) but the tours generally go through the complex' main road and through the Pripyat ghost town.

lgeek 10y ago
> You won't get very close to any of the running reactors They've all been decommissioned. #3 was the last one to shut down in 2000. On a related note, this Youtube user [0] has videos from what appear to be tours inside units 2, 3 and 4 (the one which suffered the meltdown in '86). The one from the reactor hall in unit 2 [1] is particularly interesting. [0] https://www.youtube.com/user/Thallium208/videos https://www.youtube.com/user/Thallium208/videos [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe_zzTQFV3o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe_zzTQFV3o
- 0x0 10y ago
  I can't help but think of Half-Life and Portal watching those videos. Quite incredible footage.
kogepathic 10y ago
The last reactor in Chernobyl shut down in 2000. [0] The whole complex is in the process of being decommissioned. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_Nuclear_Power_Plant#Plant_shutdown_and_decommissioning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_Nuclear_Power_Plant#...

estel 10y ago

Lots of Nuclear plants in the UK offer tours, though lots are aimed at school groups. The Sizewell B tour looks like it might be the most extensive: https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/education/visitor-centres https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/education/visitor-centres

piva00 10y ago

I went last year to Forsmark here in Sweden, they have a very awesome tour, didn't go to the actual reactor (heard that they had it but don't know if it's still possible to do). They showed us the nuclear waste disposal facility on the grounds of the power plant, it's temporary while Sweden builds a huge disposal facility for all of the country's nuclear waste (and it looks like a scenario for Half-Life, it was very cool). Apart from the nuclear disposal facility our tour also went to the reactor control room simulator where the technicians practice and get certified (we could even try the SCRAM procedure and all) and also showed the grounds around the facility, where the water that cools the reactor comes and goes to, etc. Would completely recommend doing it if you are ever in Sweden and can manage to go there.

kbart 10y ago

Vilnius has a small Energy and Technology Museum[0] located in the building of the first power plant (opened in 1903) in country. Probably not worth going to Vilnius just for it, but if you happened to be nearby, it's worth its time. 0. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g274951-d1886449-Reviews-Energy_and_Technology_Museum-Vilnius_Vilnius_County.html https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g274951-d18864...

mantas 10y ago
In addition to that, Ignalina (150km-ish from Vilnius) nuclear power plant, which is currently being disassembled, offers tours too.
- bobthechef 10y ago
  That power plant was supposed to be upgraded and expanded as a part of a joint project between Lithuania and its neighbors to deliver power to Lithuania and those neighbors. Nothing came of it.

ErikCorry 10y ago

Hydro power inside a mountain in Scotland: http://www.visitcruachan.co.uk/ http://www.visitcruachan.co.uk/

j4mie 10y ago

Travel to the island of Islay (off the west coast of Scotland) and head to the tiny village of Portnahaven. From there, walk north along the coast for half an hour or so and look out for the Islay LIMPET, the world's first commercial wave power device connected to the United Kingdom's National Grid. It looks like this (photo I took when I was there earlier in the year) https://www.instagram.com/p/BD1Ao-1IaXi/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BD1Ao-1IaXi/ Details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islay_LIMPET https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islay_LIMPET It's not a "tour" (it's unmanned) but it's fascinating. While you're on Islay, you can also enjoy whisky, wildlife and being in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

billybofh 10y ago
And if you're so inclined you can pop over to Jura and have a nosey around the cottage Orwell wrote most of 1984 in :-) It's quite a pretty spot too :-) https://flic.kr/p/kkwkuk https://flic.kr/p/kkwkuk

dantheman 10y ago

It would be next to impossible to get access to a commissioned nuclear powerplant and enter containment as a visitor. However, there is a nuclear power plant in vienna that was never used and can be visited: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwentendorf_Nuclear_Power_Plant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwentendorf_Nuclear_Power_Plan... Additionally, many universities have research reactors - they often have tours or a tour can be easily arranged.

masklinn 10y ago
> It would be next to impossible to get access to a commissioned nuclear powerplant and enter containment as a visitor. Pish posh, it's absolutely possible to visit active nuclear plants, usually for free, though you may need a small group (half a dozen or more) depending on the operator.
- witty_username 10y ago
  But can you enter containment?
  - sgift 10y ago
    Yes, you can. The only area we didn't visit when I toured Isar 2 was the control room (we looked through the window and got a description of the various parts and their function).
    - avar 10y ago
      How did you arrange this? Is this something you just sign up, or do you call them and assure them you're enthusiastic about nuclear energy and eventually they relent?
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
justincormack 10y ago
Great tour description here by Charlie Stross http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/rants/nothing-like-this-will-be-buil.html http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/rants/nothing-li...

flac 10y ago

I’ve been to two power plants in the Czech republic: Temelin, nuclear power plan [1]. Pretty nice information center in a historical building with models, plant simulator and a small cinema. Although the most exciting part is visiting the actual power plant site - generators, accompanying infrastructure, going through radiation check point. Not sure if the site visit is publicly available. Lipno, hydro plant [2]. Not as interesting information center as in Temelin, but the underground facility with turbines, generators and outlet tunnels makes you realize the huge mass of water in the dam and the amount of power the plant is able to generate. The next item on my bucket list is pumped-storage in Dlouhe Strane [3], which looks like a hill with the peak cut off, having there a large pond instead. Sources: [1] https://www.cez.cz/en/power-plants-and-environment/nuclear-power-plants/temelin/information-centre.html https://www.cez.cz/en/power-plants-and-environment/nuclear-p... [2] https://www.cez.cz/en/contacts/information-centers/lipno-information-centers.html https://www.cez.cz/en/contacts/information-centers/lipno-inf... [3] https://www.cez.cz/en/contacts/information-centers/dlouhe-strane-information-centers.html https://www.cez.cz/en/contacts/information-centers/dlouhe-st...

enticeing 10y ago
Near where I live is the Taum Sauk pumped storage plant [1], which actually overtopped in 2005 and flooded the valley below. You can see where the water cleared trees and things [2], and where the reservoir broke [3]. It drained over 3.7 billion liters in 20-30 minutes. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taum_Sauk_Hydroelectric_Power_Station https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taum_Sauk_Hydroelectric_Power_... [2] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Tscompare.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Tscompar... [3] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Taum_Sauk_reservoir-FERC_12-22-05_01.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Taum_Sau...

sushimako 10y ago

Austria's largest electricity provider "Verbund" offers tours at many of their facilities (mostly hydro-power): https://www.verbund.com/en-at/about-verbund/visitors-centres https://www.verbund.com/en-at/about-verbund/visitors-centres

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

ptaipale 10y ago

In addition to the other ones listed, the Olkiluoto nuclear plant in Finland takes tour groups. You have to book it 2 weeks in advance, and send personal information ahead, and have ID with you, but it is nice. Web info unfortunately only in Finnish, but guides can handle English of course: http://www.tvo.fi/vierailukeskus http://www.tvo.fi/vierailukeskus Also the other Finnish nuclear plant in Loviisa (with Soviet-designed PWR reactors) may take visitors but does not organize it on daily basis.

karlerss 10y ago

There's an oil shale museum in Estonia. The tour covers visiting actual underground oil shale mine tunnels and a general museum about oil shale enrichment, chemistry and energetics. See: http://kaevandusmuuseum.ee/eng/ http://kaevandusmuuseum.ee/eng/

krona 10y ago

You can tour https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station, which includes going deep in to the Elidir Fawr mountain, and tours around the turbine hall and other interesting things. Or at least you could 10 years ago.

timthorn 10y ago
You still can. Impressive bit of engineering.

rihegher 10y ago

You can visit the one in Gravelines which has 6 reactors and is not too far from The Netherlands. https://www.edf.fr/groupe-edf/producteur-industriel/carte-des-implantations/centrale-nucleaire-de-gravelines/visitez-la-centrale https://www.edf.fr/groupe-edf/producteur-industriel/carte-de...

petre 10y ago

You can tour the joint RO/RS Iron Gates dam. Is's ratger impressive although at least Russia, China and Canada/US have bigger hydropower stations.

davedx 10y ago

Another Scotland recommendation- Ben Cruachan hydro dam has a nice visitor center. Its on the west coast. I work for Vandebron in the Netherlands. Some of our smaller producers are happy to show visitors around. It helps if you are one of the households they are supplying of course ;)

jsingleton 10y ago
Ben Cruachan is great and free if you come by train. The walk up to the top is good on a nice day but not easy. I went in the summer and there's a photo at the bottom of this blog post: https://unop.uk/mobile-gb-rail-live-departure-boards/ https://unop.uk/mobile-gb-rail-live-departure-boards/
- davedx 10y ago
  Yes, I also climbed it once, on a fantastic clear summer day. The view was amazing, could see many of the islands from the summit. Would love to do it again sometime.

jsingleton 10y ago

Nuclear power stations are surprisingly boring. It's mostly solid state, relatively quiet and inaccessible (for obvious reasons). I went on a trip to Dungeness (Kent) and it looks like you still can[0] along with 6 others. For pumped storage there is Dinorwig[1] (North Wales) and Cruachan (West Scotland). If you arrive by public transport you can get a free tour of the Cruachan pumped storage hydro plant. [0]: https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/education/visitor-centres https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/education/visitor-centres [1]: http://www.electricmountain.co.uk/ http://www.electricmountain.co.uk/ [2]: http://www.visitcruachan.co.uk/ http://www.visitcruachan.co.uk/ Edit: There's a photo at the bottom of this blog post from my visit to Cruachan last summer: https://unop.uk/mobile-gb-rail-live-departure-boards https://unop.uk/mobile-gb-rail-live-departure-boards If you're in the French Alps then you could visit Grand'Maison on a bad weather day: http://www.musee-edf-hydrelec.com/ http://www.musee-edf-hydrelec.com/