SOUTH TYROLEAN HYDRO-TECHNOLOGY DOUBLE PROVES ITS WORTH IN THE NORWEGIAN FJORD In northern Norway, not far from the well-known port city of Narvik, two new, high-performance small hydropower plants were put into operation in spring 2021. The expert operational managers at the Norwegian Russvikkraft AS relied on the technical know-how of the South Tyrolean hydropower all-rounder Troyer AG, which supplied the entire electromechanical equipment for the two plants. In an average year the two hydropower stations – a 2.85 MW Francis turbine, and a 4-nozzlePelton turbine producing around 5 MW – feed a total of 19 GWh of energy along the cable beneath the lake. For Troyer this was a successful entry in an exciting hydropower market in the far north.
T
ysfjord in the province of Nordland boasts some of the most scenic land scapes in the whole of Norway. The eponymous fjord is the deepest in northern Norway, while the steep surrounding moun tains reach far up into the sky. There are glaciers, limestone caves, and the largest na tural canyon in Northern Europe. No won der it’s considered a paradise for all brands of hikers, anglers and nature-lovers – not to mention the inland possibilities for skiers not far from the port of Narvik. The online US outdoor pursuits magazine ‘Outside’ lists Narvikfjellet as one of the ten best undis covered skiing regions in Europe. Narvik, the regional capital, is famous for several reasons. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, the climate here is relatively mild and the harbour is ice-free all year round. For centuries it has been a hub for the transportation of the iron ore mined in Lapland. This strategic importance made the port a target during the Second World
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War. Numerous monuments and a special war museum in the town still bear witness to the 2-month Battle of Narvik in the spring of 1940. Narvik is also famous around the world as a tourist magnet for guests seeking the midnight sun. On long summer days the sun never dips behind the horizon and bathes the surrounding scenery in dreamy tones of orange and red. HYDROELECTRIC POWER IS A POPULAR EXPORT It is obvious that in such a natural landscape worthy of protection, energy supply is based on natural resources. Indeed, hydropower has been the prevailing source of energy in Norway for a long time. The country is bles sed with immense volumes of water and ex treme topography. In 2020 Norway boasted around 1,700 hydroelectric power plants, accounting for approximately 88% of the country’s electricity production. Hydroelec tric power is also an export hit: Norway
recently exported around 14 TWh of green electricity abroad. Two experienced power generation compa nies joined forces here to share expertise and increase the amount of hydroelectric power generated in the Tysfjord region around Nar vik. Småkraft AS is referred as Europe’s ‘largest small-scale power supplier’ and runs around 110 small-scale hydropower stations across Norway. Småkraft AS was joined by Nordkraft AS, whose portfolio encompasses 15 hydropower plants, to build two power plants on the Russvikelva river. Russvikkraft AS, founded together with five landowners, is the official operator of the two plants, which have been in operation since spring 2021. MACHINERY TRANSPORTED VIA FERRY The region housing the site is very remote and cannot be accessed by land. This meant that the delivery of machinery and building mate rials would pose a challenge. Thomas Fiechter
May 2022
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06.05.2022 14:46:16
Foto: Glanzer
Not far from the northern Norwegian port town of Narvik the South Tyrolean Troyer AG equipped two new small-scale power plants with electromechanical equipment and control technology. In a regular operating year the plants achieve a power output of around 19 Gigawatt hours.
photo credits: Troyer AG
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