History
View of Piz Palü and the glacier from Alp Grüm, postcard dated 1909
Before becoming a mountain hut and restaurant, Alpe Palü was a traditional alpine pasture, used in the summer for livestock grazing.
In the past, flocks of sheep grazed here, and horses, pigs, and chickens were also raised, following the rhythms of traditional alpine life.
Palü hydroelectric power plant under construction (1926)
The Palü Hydroelectric Power Plant began operations in 1927 and is the highest plant in the entire Upper Valposchiavo hydroelectric system.
The original facility used two turbines, a Pelton and a Francis, connected by a single vertical shaft. During World War II, a pumping system was added to transfer water from Lake Palü to Lake Bianco, reducing dependence on foreign energy sources.
In 2013, the plant was renovated, and the Francis turbine was decommissioned. In 2017, the unused head was reactivated with a new pipeline connecting Palü to the lower Cavaglia plant.
Today, the two plants work together, efficiently harnessing the energy of water flowing down from the mountains.