Jena, 13.06.2026 – Stadtwerke Energie Jena-Pößneck are launching a cross-media anniversary campaign today, Saturday, across the city area, the web, and social media channels. Under the motto “Moments that electrified us,” the energy provider commemorates the beginning of the electrical age in Jena 125 years ago and links key historical moments with modern urban development.
- Occasion: 125 years of electrical power supply in Jena
- Campaign Start: Saturday, 13 June 2026 (running until December 2026)
- Key Milestones: First power supply 1900/1901, Burgau hydroelectric power plant 1912, photovoltaic expansion from 1997
- Official Campaign Website: www.stadtwerke-jena.de/125-jahre-strom
From the First Light Bulb to Solar Energy
The starting signal for the power grid was given in June 1900, when the official resolution to build an electricity supply and an electric tramway in Jena was passed. Progress was rapid by the following spring:
- 19 March 1901: Start of trial operations at the first Jena power plant.
- 1 April 1901: Electric light burns for the first time in the city area.
- 1912: Commissioning of the hydroelectric power plant in Burgau, which still provides green energy today.
- 1992: Creation of the Kulturarena on the site of the former gasworks.
- 1997: Installation of the first photovoltaic system on Jena rooftops as the foundation for the local energy transition.
The newly launched campaign aims to bring the milestones and stories behind the local energy supply to life in several phases until the end of the year.
🏛️ History & Urban Development: Driving Force of Progress
The introduction of electricity at the turn of the century was the decisive prerequisite for Jena’s rise to a modern industrial city. Without the early expansion of the power grid and the electric tramway from 1901, local optical and precision engineering companies such as Zeiss and Schott could not have developed into major global enterprises. Jena’s electricity history impressively shows how closely infrastructure and urban growth are intertwined – a legacy that continues today with the expansion of renewable energies and modern district heating networks.
Source:
125 Jahre Strom: Stadtwerke erzählen Jenaer Energiegeschichte
Transparency Note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.