Landsvirkjun
Landsvirkjun is Iceland's state-owned energy company. The company provides electricity and supplies it to heavy industry and regional energy providers . These take over the distribution to private households and smaller businesses.
Landsvirkjun was founded by the Republic of Iceland and the City of Reykjavík and financed with the help of the World Bank . In 2005 Landsvirkjun celebrated its 40th anniversary. Chairman of the Board is Bryndís Hlödversdóttir, Managing Director is Hörður Arnarsson.
Operating income for 2009 was $ 193 million compared to a loss of $ 344 million a year ago.
history
Landsvirkjun was founded on July 1, 1965. The owners were the Icelandic state and the city of Reykjavík. When Landsvirkjun was founded, it took over three hydropower plants on the Sog River, Írafossstöð, Ljósafossstöð and Steingrímsstöð. These power plants previously belonged to the city of Reykjavík and the Icelandic state.
In the first years after it was founded, Landsvirkjun mainly participated in projects in the south and south-west of the country. The first project that Landsvirkjun carried out was the construction of the Búrfell hydropower plant on the Þjórsá river , which went into operation in 1969. The next projects were Sigalda (1977) and Hrauneyjafoss (1981). These power plants are both on the Tungnaá River .
In 1983, Akureyri City acquired 5% of Landsvirkjun from Reykjavík City . As a result, three small hydropower plants on the Laxá River and the Bjarnarflag geothermal power plant in the north of the country came into the possession of Landsvirkjun. In 1986 Landsvirkjun acquired the Krafla geothermal power plant from RARIK.
In 1984 the construction of the Blanda hydropower plant began, which was put into operation in 1991. In 2000 the Sultartangi hydropower plant was put into operation and in 2001 Vatnsfell , the fifth hydropower plant in the Þjórsá-Tungnaá area, was put into operation.
In 2005 a new electricity law came into force. This separated the supply from the production of electricity. The Landsnet company was founded and took over the Landsvirkjun power grid. In 2006 the Icelandic state acquired the shares in Landsvirkjun which were owned by the city of Reykjavík and the city of Akureyri. A corresponding change in the law was passed in December 2006. Landsvirkjun is 100% owned by the Icelandic state.
The Kárahnjúkar project was completed in 2008 and the associated power plant Fljótsdalsstöð was put into operation in 2007.
The electricity network
Landsnet HF was founded in 2003. Landsnet took over the Icelandic high voltage electricity network from Landsvirkjun, Rafmagnsveitur ríkisins and Orkubú Vestfjarða, who are also the owners. It rents the lines from Orkuveita Reykjavíkur and Hitaveita Suðurnesja. The company makes the network available to all electricity producers for transmission at the same price. The most important high-voltage lines - mostly 220 kV - lead from the highlands to the metropolitan area around the capital.
A 132 kV line was laid out in a ring around the island in order to be able to ensure the greatest possible supply to all parts of the country even in the event of failures. Some lines are 66 kV and also 33 kV and connect smaller power plants and distribution points. Two 420 kV lines will be built to transport the electricity from Kárahnúkarvirkjun to Reyðarfjörður; they are initially only operated at 220 kV.
Power plants
Landsvirkjun operates 16 power plants with a total output of 1860 MW (as of 2010). The majority of this is provided by thirteen hydropower plants (1797 MW) and two geothermal power plants (63 MW). A natural gas power plant (35 MW) serves as an emergency power generator and to compensate for supply peaks.
Landsvirkjun fed 12.154 GWh into the Landsnet network in 2009, 96% of which was generated from hydropower.
Hydropower plants
- Blöndustöð (150 MW)
- Búrfellsstöð (270 MW)
- Fljótsdalsstöð (690 MW); s. Kárahnjúkar project
- Hrauneyjafossstöð (210 MW)
- Laxárstöðvar (28 MW) (three power plants)
- Sigöldsustöð (150 MW)
- Sogsstöðvar (89 MW) (three power plants)
- Sultartangastöð (120 MW)
- Vatnsfellsstöð (90 MW)
Geothermal power plants
- Bjarnaflagsstöð (3 MW)
- Kröfluvirkjun (60 MW)
Gas power plants
- Straumsvík (35 MW)
Kárahnjúkar project
The Kárahnjúkar project was worked on in the years 2003-2008. It includes five dams, three reservoirs, 72 km long tunnels and a power plant. The Fljótsdalsstöð power plant is located in eastern Iceland in the Fljótsdalur valley. Two glacier rivers are used in the project. Jökulsá á Brú is dammed on the Kárahnjúkar mountain in the Hálslón reservoir, Jökulsá í Fljótsdal in the Ufsarlón reservoir. Together, the water flows underground to the power station and finally into the original lower reaches of the Jökulsá í Fljótsdal. The capacity of the power plant is 690 MW. The generated electrical energy is fed to the operation of an Alcoa aluminum smelter in Reyðarfjörður. The project was highly controversial because of its environmental impact.
Web links
- Official homepage ( isl .)
- Official Homepage ( Engl .)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Landsvirkjun's annual report (English; PDF; 2.2 MB). Retrieved August 20, 2010.
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from October 15, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. History of Landsvirkjun (English). Retrieved August 20, 2010.
