Spanish technology group Ingeteam has been awarded a major contract by Norsk Hydro to supply critical equipment for the Illvatn pumped storage project, one of Norway’s most significant hydropower developments in decades.
Under the agreement, Ingeteam will deliver a 56 MVA INDAR motor-generator together with a soft starting system, forming a core component of the new pumped storage facility. The plant is being developed in Luster Municipality, an area with a long-established hydropower base.
The Illvatn pumped storage project is part of Norsk Hydro’s broader strategy to strengthen its renewable energy portfolio, representing its largest hydropower investment in more than 20 years. The company has approved a total investment of approximately NOK 2.5bn (around US$250m), with a net investment of NOK 1.2bn supported by Norway’s hydropower tax framework.
At the heart of the scheme is a new pumped storage system that will transfer water from Fivlemyrane to the higher-lying Illvatn reservoir via an 8km tunnel. This will increase storage capacity by around 90 million cubic metres, reduce summer water losses and significantly boost winter generation, when electricity demand is at its peak.
Once completed, the facility is expected to deliver an additional 107GWh of renewable energy annually, primarily supporting Norsk Hydro’s aluminium production in Norway – an industry already operating with a carbon footprint significantly below the global average. The project also includes construction of new grid infrastructure, including a 13km power line designed with aluminium towers.
Construction began in late 2025, with preparatory works already underway, and commissioning is scheduled for August 2030.
