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The Trezzo sull'Adda hydroelectric power plant, which is named in honor of Alessandro Taccani, is a power station and iconic monument on the banks of the River Adda, about 20 miles from Milan. It was built in the eclectic style (a mixture of different stylistic features) in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by the architect Gaetano Moretti, designer of the nearby “company town” of Crespi d'Adda. The plant was built at the request of the industrialist Cristoforo Benigno Crespi in order to supply energy to his cotton mill.
The "Taccani" hydroelectric power plant has been in continuous operation since 1906. In the mid-1990s, it underwent major technological upgrades that ensure its full efficiency, safety and reliability.
Hydroelectric
Operational
10.5 MW
46 GWh
Average production achieved in the last three representative years.
21,142 tons per year
17,000 households
The power plant was built between 1904 and 1906 at the base of the rocky promontory that determines the bend in the river. The promontory’s summit is home to the ruins of the castle that was built in 1370 by Barnabò Visconti, on the remains of an earlier Longobard fortress. For this reason, at the request of the industrialist Crespi, the power plant was built using the local stone known as "ceppo d'Adda." The plant also features the same verticalizing modules that can be seen at the overhanging fortress, so as to integrate perfectly with the surrounding environment. The interiors were similarly given special attention and have a distinctive Art Nouveau style with elements of neo-Gothic.
At the time of its construction, the power plant considered to be state-of-the-art technology: it included not only a 10,000 kW thermoelectric section, but also a thermoelectric section with four steam generators with a total capacity of 4,000 kW to supplement hydroelectric production during the winter when the River Adda’s water was low.
The Trezzo Power Plant is fully operative but it is also a cultural center for the surrounding area. It can be visited by school groups, industrial archaeology enthusiasts, while it also hosts events. Tours, which are led by guides from a local organization, the Trezzo “Pro Loco,” provide access to the viewing path, which was completely renovated in June 2019. The tour includes the Art Nouveau hall, the engine room, views of the working plants, multimedia installations illustrating the operation of the plant and the world of energy, with digital content and games for children.
In cooperation with the Trezzo Pro Loco, we are opening our power plant in order to help people find out firsthand how water power works. Individual visitors, schools or interested groups are all welcome to learn, through a guided tour and interactive visit, how our hydroelectric plant works.
