Slovenia’s Fala Hydropower Plant celebrated in Brussels on its 110th Anniversary

A European Landmark of Early 20th-Century Energy Infrastructure

On 10 June 2025, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in Brussels opened a special exhibition entitled “The Construction of the Fala Hydropower Plant – A Phenomenon of the First Half of the 20th Century”, celebrating Slovenia’s oldest operational hydroelectric facility. The event took place during the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), highlighting Fala’s enduring contribution to clean power and the long-term value of regional infrastructure.

The exhibition was officially organised by the Slovenian delegation to the European Committee of the Regions, with financial support from Dravske elektrarne Maribor (DEM). It was curated by the National Liberation Museum Maribor and the Maribor Regional Archives, in collaboration with the Municipality of Selnica ob Dravi. The exhibition remained on display at the CoR until 30 June, welcoming numerous visitors.

Many of the historical materials — including documents, blueprints, and photographs from 1913–1918 — were displayed outside Slovenia for the first time. They illustrated the extraordinary engineering and social effort required to build the Fala plant under wartime conditions. Cultural performances by the folklore group KD PAVZA, the Accordionists from Gradišče, and a poetic narration by Jure Ivanušič gave the event a distinctly Slovenian character while framing it within Europe’s broader energy transition story.

Distinguished Guests and Regional Leadership

At the opening ceremony, distinguished speakers shared insights on Fala’s significance. MEP Vladimir Prebilič (Greens/EFA, Slovenia) lauded the plant as a symbol of early innovation in renewable energy, linking it to the EU’s modern climate goals. Barbara Sušnik, Slovenia’s Ambassador to Belgium, emphasises that preserving industrial heritage like Fala can inspire today’s sustainability efforts. Bojana Muršič, Member of the National Assembly of Slovenia, also addressed the audience and stressed the role of heritage in achieving energy self-sufficiency and a greener future. Simona Tripkovič, Director of the National Liberation Museum Maribor, and Nina Gosteničnik, Director of the Maribor Regional Archives- highlighted the cultural value of Fala’s story for both Slovenia and Europe, having brought original photographs, plans and documents to Brussels for the occasion. Together, the speakers paid tribute to how a 1910s engineering feat on the Drava River laid foundations for the region’s electrification and still resonates in the era of clean energy.

In her remarks, Dr. Vlasta Krmelj provided a unique regional perspective bridging local experience and European policy. Dr. Krmelj serves as Vice-President of FEDARENE and is the Director of the Energy and Climate Agency of Podravje (ENERGAP), as well as Mayor of Selnica ob Dravi – the municipality home to the Fala plant. She was also the main organiser of the opening ceremony, in close cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Brussels. As a Member of the CoR, she helped bring the Fala exhibition to this EU forum. Dr. Krmelj underscored how local renewable energy projects like Fala have fuelled Slovenia’s development while also contributing to Europe’s collective energy transition. She highlighted the importance of connecting energy history with future action:

Fala is more than a power plant – it’s a story of resilience, innovation, and shared European values.

Vlasta Krmelj

A Century-Old Hydropower Legacy

The Fala Hydropower Plant was constructed under extraordinary circumstances. Its story began in 1913, when construction of this run-of-the-river dam and powerhouse first broke ground on the Drava in what was then Austria-Hungary. Developed by the Steiermärkische Elektrizitätsgesellschaft (StEG) with Swiss financial support, the plant faced major delays due to the outbreak of World War I. Labour shortages, material scarcity, and logistical disruption made progress extremely difficult. By 1915, the workforce included more than 800 workers, among them 400 Russian and 100 Italian prisoners of war. Many laboured in harsh conditions with limited access to food and shelter. The scale of the construction and the use of forced labour drew the attention of international experts, with the site seen as one of the most ambitious hydroelectric projects of its time.

Although originally intended to supply electricity to the Graz industrial basin, the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 shifted Fala’s role. Its output was redirected to the newly formed Kingdom of Yugoslavia, where it played a central role in the electrification of northeastern Slovenia. By 1936, Fala generated around one-fifth of the country’s electricity, powering industrial development in and beyond Maribor. The plant continued to operate during World War II and emerged intact, later becoming part of Dravske Elektrarne Maribor (DEM) in 1961.

Over the decades, Fala was gradually modernised: new turbines were added through 1990, while original machinery was preserved. In the late 1980s, the old powerhouse was transformed into a museum. Today, the facility operates as both a museum and a fully functioning hydropower plant — a rare example of living heritage. Fala’s distinctive brick-and-stone architecture and early generators earned official recognition — declared a technical monument in 1986 and a cultural monument of national importance in 2008. These designations reflect both its engineering significance and symbolic place in Slovenia’s energy history.

Engineering Foresight and Long-Term Impact

More than a century after its commissioning in 1918, the Fala Hydropower Plant remains operational — a living link between Europe’s energy past and future. As part of the Brussels exhibition, visitors discovered blueprints, photographs, and historical documents from the Elektrarna Fala collection, many shown outside Slovenia for the first time. Curated by the National Liberation Museum Maribor and the Maribor Regional Archives, the display traced not only the technical challenges of building Fala during wartime, but also the human effort behind its success — from engineers and labourers to the communities first electrified by its output. The exhibition emphasised how past innovation and social resilience continue to inform present-day sustainable development.

Today, Fala continues to supply around 260 GWh of electricity per year to Slovenia’s grid. The site operates with three upgraded generators under remote control, merging its preserved architecture with modern functionality. Its story — from wartime construction to clean energy production today — reminds us that the European energy transition is not only a technological ambition, but also a legacy of local ingenuity and long-term vision. At a time when Europe is accelerating its Green Deal, Fala stands as a powerful symbol that the continent’s leadership in sustainability dates back more than 100 years.