Dossi hydroelectric power plant
Dossi hydroelectric power plant
Operational
The Dossi hydroelectric power plant
The Dossi hydroelectric power plant is located in the district of the same name in Valbondione, a municipality in the upper Seriana Valley, in the province of Bergamo (in northern Italy’s Lombardy region). The power plant is fed both by water stored in the Barbellino and Valmorta dams and by water taken directly from streams that are made to flow from nearby catchment areas, through a system of canals and pipelines, to a single point.
The water travels inside penstocks, which can withstand very high pressure, from an elevation of 1810 meters to the level of the power plant, at an elevation of 850 meters, reaching the hydroelectric power plant’s engine room.
The power plant, which was built in the 1920s, is an articulated stone complex with large rectangular lattice windows, wrought-iron lamps, and a roof inspired by the triangular pediment of a Greek temple. Next to it stand offices and some dwellings that were originally intended for the plant's staff.
From 1943 onwards, the plant operated with six units (one unit consists of a turbine, which converts water energy into gyratory motion, and an alternator, which converts motion into electricity). In 2008, the plant was refurbished and only two groups were installed instead of the previous six, but with higher performance.
In June 2026, the hydroelectric power plant was integrated into the European BESS4HYDRO.
Technology
Hydroelectric
Status
Operational
Power
44 kW
Energy production
144.204 GWh per year
(Estimated average production)
Energy needs
55,000 households per year
CO2 emissions avoided
3,551 tons
Milestone
The energy transition: Dossi is home to the first European project with hydropower and batteries
At Dossi, we implemented the first European project to integrate a reservoir hydropower plant with a 4 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) known as BESS4HYDRO. The battery charges not only by drawing on the electricity produced by the power plant but also, if necessary, from the grid, operating even when the plant is shut down for maintenance.
This pioneering initiative makes it possible to optimize the management of the energy produced, improving grid flexibility and stability.
This marks a significant step toward the energy transition, fostering greater integration of renewable sources into the European electricity system. The project came about thanks to financing from the European Union Innovation Fund, which was obtained in 2024. It has also received an EU award, the STEP (Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform) seal.
BESS4HYDRO has also been recognized by the World Economic Forum as one of the 100 innovative cases that can be replicated globally.
Impact on local communities
The Dossi power plant is part of the Alta Val Seriana Cycle Route, which is over 25 km long and reaches its maximum height (878 meters) in the same municipality, Valbondione.