Fala Hydroelectric Power Plant Museum

Fala Hydroelectric Power Plant Museum

In the grounds of the oldest hydroelectric power plant on the Drava River, renovated and still in operation today, is a monument for visitors – the original powerhouse containing a preserved horizontal Francis turbine. This renovated turbine, with a partially open turbine cover, allows a look into how the power plant operates and transforms water power into mechanical energy.

In 1986, it was decided that the old part of the Fala hydroelectric power plant would be preserved in its original form as a piece of cultural heritage. When, ten years later, the first seven generators of the Fala hydroelectric power plant finally stopped working, Dravske Elektrarne Maribor, in cooperation with the Maribor regional unit of the Institute for Cultural Heritage in Slovenia, carried out renovation works on the powerhouse, preserving all the units and the auxiliary equipment. Therefore, the design of the electric plant, which is also called the Fala Hydroelectric Museum, is based on the principles of providing information and education; it opened its doors to visitors in 1998.

In 2008, the museum part of the Fala hydroelectric power plant declared a cultural monument of national importance by decree of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.