Sunlight deprivation in Austria

Heard a story on CBC's 'As it Happens' on 1-19. A town in Austria [Rattenberg(sp?)] that is on the wrong side of a valley is considering installing a heliostat on the opposite side of the valley.

The sunlight would be directed to mirrors ABOVE the town to shine light DOWN on it. I think the person interviewed said they get no direct sunlight October-March. Neat idea.
I couldn't turn anything up on Google though, any links or thoughts on this way to overcome light deprivation?

I believe parts of alaska are like that, 6 months sun, 6 months twilight like. Not sure if they have any solution to that, although I believe I have heard the idea from an episode of the simpsons. Not uncommon for the simpsons to use real news items in their shows.

I think Russia had a satellite that was going to unfold a large mirror to use to light a remote dark area of their country on the last mir station experitments, but it failed. I think I heard concern that it could be used as a weapon, focusing light on subjects to make a conventional death ray or like the focused beam of a magnifier glass burning the world like ants.