Krafla power plant

Krafla power plant
	location
	Iceland
Coordinates	65 ° 42 '4 " N , 16 ° 46' 36" W Coordinates: 65 ° 42 '4 " N , 16 ° 46' 36" W.
country	Iceland
	Data
Type	Geothermal power plant
Primary energy	Geothermal energy
power	60 megawatts
owner	Landsvirkjun
Start of operations	1977
turbine	2 steam turbines
Website	www.landsvirkjun.com

The Krafla power plant ( Isl. Kröflustöð = Krafla station ) is a geothermal power plant in northern Iceland on the active central volcano Krafla in the Mývatn area , 7 kilometers from the smaller geothermal power plant Bjarnaflagsstöð .

The Krafla geothermal power plant in winter.

The Icelandic state began construction in 1975. Originally, two steam turbines with a total output of 60 MW were planned. Initially, only one turbine was installed, as there was a series of volcanic eruptions in the area between 1975 and 1984, the so-called Kröflueldar , whose lava flows came within a few kilometers of the power station building. Because of volcanic activity, there were also significant problems with steam development. As a result, the power plant was only able to generate half the output when it was commissioned in August. In 1996 it was finally decided to install the second turbine, and since 1999 the power plant has been operated with its originally planned output of 60 MW.

Until the Nesjavellir power plant went into operation in 1990, the Krafla power plant was the largest of its kind in Iceland. In 1985 it became the property of the semi-public company Landsvirkjun . An expansion to 150 MW is planned.