At the edge of a quiet canal stands an unassuming industrial building that once played a key role in the region’s energy system. In the early 1930s, this former water-pumping station was transformed into a hydroelectric power plant, following the installation of powerful turbines. What once served solely to lift canal water for navigation became a source of electricity.

The energy generated powered not only the pumps but also electric traction vehicles that towed barges through canal tunnels. In 1953, the site was further upgraded with turbo-alternators, allowing it to feed electricity directly into the national grid.

The turbines continued to run quietly for decades, hidden among locks and waterways. Though now decommissioned, the building remains a striking example of how water, engineering, and transport were once ingeniously combined long before sustainable energy became a trend.