en.Wedoany.com Reported - Statkraft has decided to build the Blåfjell Pump facility, which will channel more water directly into Blåsjø, Norway's largest hydropower reservoir, increasing the annual power generation of the Ulla-Førre hydropower plant by 54 GWh.
The company has awarded four construction contracts to contractors in Karmøy, Suldal, Voss, and Grenland, with a total value of NOK 250 million (approximately USD 26 million). Construction work began this week.
Spanning Ryfylke and Setesdal, the Blåsjø reservoir is Norway's largest in terms of storage capacity, capable of holding water for several years, helping to balance variations in inflow between wet and dry years. The project will draw water from three smaller lakes in the municipality of Hjelmeland, west of Blåsjø. Currently, this water flows into the lower-lying Stølsdal hydropower plant in the Ulla-Førre system, but it will instead be pumped approximately 60 meters up to the main reservoir.
Statkraft states that this change will increase power generation in Norway's NO2 price zone by 54 GWh, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of about 2,700 Norwegian households. Pål Otto Eide, Executive Vice President for Development at Statkraft, noted that after years of planning and adjustments, a profitable way to implement the project was finally found. Bringing more water into Blåsjø is perhaps one of the most valuable things that can be done for society, as the reservoir can store water for years and increase power generation at existing hydropower plants, allowing the developed system to produce more energy with limited additional impact on nature.
Statkraft recently announced plans to invest NOK 80 billion (approximately USD 8.5 billion) in Norwegian hydropower over the next decade, and the Blåfjell Pump project is part of this plan. Eide added that Blåfjell Pump is one of many projects Statkraft is implementing to build and strengthen Norway, and investments in the coming years will be one of the country's largest industrial drivers.
The project includes a water tunnel, an underground pumping station, and several smaller water conveyance facilities, with a total estimated cost of approximately NOK 300 million (about USD 31 million). It is scheduled to begin operations in December 2027. In addition to the pumping project, Statkraft will upgrade four dams at the western end of Blåsjø as required by the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), with all work expected to be completed by 2028.
Statkraft divided the construction work into four contract packages to allow national, regional, and local companies to compete. Tor Oxhovd Svalesen, the project's development manager, commented that it is very important to promote a form of competition where contractors can leverage their strengths, while also allowing contractors needed for daily operations to participate in bidding. Construction market activity has decreased, and competition for contracts is very intense.
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