Three people died in the accident, on 12 December, and others were evacuated when water burst through a 9m break in the penstock and came up through the ground near Nendoz. The resulting landslides reached as far as the Rhone river.
Although the new powerhouse is shut down while investigations are carried out the reservoir of the Grande Dixence dam is being managed via the older power plants at Chandoline, Fionnay and Nendaz, totalling 780MW, which are still in operation.
