El patrimonio hidroeléctrico: un recurso cultural para la reurbanización de los territorios

The Maira Valley is part of the Occitan valleys in the Province of Cuneo, and is characterized by a rich architectural, cultural and landscape heritage, which the inhabitants know how to effectively enhance for the redevelopment of the territories. Dronero, the town located right at the entrance of the valley, often organizes cultural initiatives thanks to local associations, such as the “Un Borgo Ritrovato” event organized by the “Dronero Cult” Association. However, the hydroelectric heritage is not included in these activities, although in the valley there are four historical power plants, the decommissioned Combamala dam and several more recently constructed plants. A few cultural and communication initiatives have been carried out in the past, such as the photographic exhibition “100 Years of Energy in the Maira Valley – Hydroelectric Between Past and Future”. Furthermore, the public-private company Maira S.p.A. operating in the valley organizes once a year visits to a hydroelectric power plant and manages, in coordination with the Comunità Montana Valli Grana and Maira, an Info-point on water resource management. The implementation of the educational and cultural offer through the valorisation of the hydroelectric heritage and the creation of a synergic relationship with other cultural resources and initiatives would contribute to expand the audience of visitors and, at the same time, promote a deeper knowledge of the area among the participants in the activities. Furthermore, the challenges related to climate change and the consequent increasing importance of renewable energy are factors adding relevance to this heritage, which could successfully become a catalyst for initiatives aimed at promoting environmental education and awareness.