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Hafslund receives concession for new hydropower plant in Hallingdal

4/07/2024, 07:04

Eikrebekkdammen is the intake for the Hemsil 2 and future Hemsil 3 power plants. Photo: Hafslund

The Ministry of Energy has granted Hafslund a concession for the Hemsil 3 power plant in Hallingdal. The plant will generate approximately 110 GWh of new, renewable power by better utilizing the drop between Eikredammen and Gol. This equals the annual electricity consumption of around 15,000 people.

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“This project shows how rethinking existing developed watercourses can yield significant new power volumes by utilizing water resources more efficiently. We’re simply getting more power out of every drop,” says Kristin Lian, CEO of Hafslund Kraft.

The Hemsil watercourse is already affected by previous hydropower developments through the construction of the Hemsil 1 and Hemsil 2 power plants. Like Hemsil 2, the new plant will have its intake at Eikredammen in Hemsedal municipality. A new tunnel will be built in parallel with the existing Hemsil 2 tunnel, and the power station will be located underground adjacent to the Hemsil 2 station in Gol. Hemsil 3 will discharge into the Hallingdalselva river near the current Hemsil 2 outlet.

The project will increase power production at Hemsil 2 by approximately 110 GWh through even better utilization of water resources than today. The installed capacity will increase from 98 to 181 MW, improving the plant’s ability to generate power when demand is highest.

The translation was written by an AI system, though the original text was authored by a human.

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