Aker Solutions has been awarded the contract to deliver the turbine and main mechanical systems for the Blåfalli Fjellhaugen hydropower project in Kvinnherad. The project, developed by Sunnhordland Kraftlag (SKL), will be one of the largest hydropower plants built in Norway in the past 20 years.
Blåfalli Fjellhaugen will provide 185MW of regulated hydropower and generate about 70GWh annually. Integrated into the existing Blådalsvassdraget system, the new plant will increase the watercourse’s total installed capacity to roughly 550 MW, with annual production reaching 1.7 TWh – enough to supply more than 100,000 households.
Construction will begin in September. LNS will handle tunnelling and construction of the underground powerhouse. Other suppliers include Konecranes (crane system), Lysaker & Thorrud (mechanical waterway components), Hitachi (transformer and related systems), Andritz Hydro (control, instrumentation, and high-voltage systems), and Norconsult (consultancy for planning and design).
“We are excited to contribute to one of the largest new hydropower developments in Norway this decade. On the shoulders of 170 years of turbine innovation, and coupled with solid project execution, we will deliver reliable equipment designed for tomorrow’s power system,” said Simen Vogt-Svendsen, SVP Hydropower at Aker Solutions.
For SKL, the contracts mark a significant step forward. “This is a big and important day for SKL. We have worked consistently on upgrading and developing hydropower in the Blådalsvassdraget system over the past 25 years. We look forward to starting construction of the Blåfalli Fjellhaugen hydropower plant together with these experienced companies,” said John Martin Mjånes, CEO of SKL.
Project manager Kjetil Heimvik emphasized the long preparation leading to the start of construction: “Blåfalli Fjellhaugen is a project we have been working on for well over ten years. We are pleased to have skilled and experienced partners on board to realize this plant. We have had good cooperation during the preparations and look forward to getting started.”
The project is expected to take about four years to complete
