Biotope restoration and species protection

New initiatives are continually being explored to enhance the conservation efforts and support the diverse ecosystems around hydropower operations.

Here are some examples of biotope restoration projects for key species:

European eels: Vattenfall is part of the project “Krafttag ål” where spawning European eels are transported past hydropower stations in the river Göta älv. As a part of Vattenfall’s R&D biodiversity program for hydro power, a study on eel migration from lake Vänern was also initiated. In total, 190 eels were tagged with acoustic transmitters to identify migration patterns in the outlet of the lake. The tests will be concluded during spring 2026. The goal is to find effective solutions for capturing large quantities of eel for trap and transport.

Sea trout: Vattenfall has participated in the ReTrout project to reintroduce sea trout by stocking roe in restored tributaries to the river Vindelälven. Vattenfall provides the project with roe from the fishfarm in Norrfors.

Kestrels and bats: In 2023, Vattenfall Hydro Germany was awarded a certificate for species protection on buildings by Kulturbund, an acknowledged nature conservation association, honouring our actions for the protection of kestrels and bats at our Hohenwarte and Eichicht sites.

Saimaa salmon: Vattenfall is supporting research by the Natural Resources Institute Finland to restore the natural life cycle of this important species. During 2025 extensive studies were made of the bathymetri (water depth and underwater terrain) of the potential spawning area Ala-Koitajoki with the goal to improve the potential for introduction of spawning salmon.