[3] After the Second World War, growing industries needed electricity and construction on the Cleuson Dam began in 1947 and was completed in 1951.

The original Dixence dam was submerged by the filling of Lac des Dix beginning in 1957, it can still be seen when the reservoir level is low.

In the 1980s, Grande Dixence SA and EOS began the Cleuson-Dixence project which improved the quality of electricity produced by building new tunnels along with the Bieudron Power Station.

[3] A short documentary film, Opération béton, was made about the dam's construction by Jean-Luc Godard as first-time director.

Three penstocks transport water from Lac des Dix to the Chandoline, Fionnay, Nendaz and Bieudron power stations, before being discharged into the Rhône below.

The lake is usually at full capacity by late September, and empties during the winter, eventually reaching its lowest point around April.

The power station is the smallest of the four, producing 120 MW from five Pelton turbines with a gross head of 1,748 m (5,735 ft).

[7] The Fionnay Power Station receives water from the Grande Dixence Dam by a 9 km (6 mi) long tunnel with an average gradient of 10%.

[9] The water travels down a long penstock from the Grande Dixence Dam before reaching the Bieudron Power Station 1,883 m (6,178 ft) down.

The power station was built by both Grande Dixence SA and Energie Ouest Suisse between 1993 and 1998 at a cost of US$1.2 billion.