Iceland’s National Power Company, Landsvirkjun, has awarded COWI a contract for the engineering design of a 65 MW expansion to the Sigalda Hydropower Station. The project commenced in January and will be completed late 2028.
The project work that COWI takes on encompasses the entire engineering for the expansion and includes tasks such as tender design, preparation of construction documents, design reviews, risk and cost analyses. In addition, design, integration and coordination with the parallel renovation work of the existing plant.
These new hydropower projects such as the Sigalda expansion and the 95 MW Hvammsvirkjun, which COWI is also designing, will support the country’s green transition to meet increased household demand for energy and support the growth in the seafood industry, agriculture and other industries.
”Once completed, the 215 MW plant will add increased flexibility in energy supply and enable Landsvirkjun to better meet peak demand. By making better use of the increased water flow, Landsvirkjun is fulfilling its role of maximising the yield of the energy resources entrusted to the company, with sustainable utilisation, value creation and efficiency as guiding principles” says Eysteinn Einarsson, Project Manager at Landsvirkjun
Sverrir Ó. Elefsen, Technical Lead for hydropower at COWI in Iceland comments that “COWI’s success in winning the contract demonstrates the level of hydropower experience of the COWI group and how combining the company’s strengths adds value for our customers. We are also using ample experience from Iceland to create hydropower solutions and secure sustainable energy in other parts of the world as well.”
The existing 150 MW hydropower station has been in operation since 1978 and produces 920 GWh annually. Its infrastructure includes the Sigalda Dam, the 14 km² Krókslón reservoir, and a 550-meter tailrace canal linking it to the Hrauneyjafoss hydropower station.
”With the expansion of Sigalda Hydropower Station we are helping Landsvirkjun secure sustainable power for the citizens and businesses in Iceland. In recent years, we have witnessed challenges in new power supply which has affected business growth. We are content that COWI’s experts can play a role to address this issue for the benefit of society at large.” says Gunnar Sverrir Gunnarsson, Managing Director, COWI Iceland
Hydropower in Iceland
COWI has participated in most of the hydropower projects that have been built in Iceland since 1970. Electrical production in Iceland is derived 100% from renewable energy. Approximately 70% of electrical power production in Iceland comes from hydropower plants, and the remaining 30% come from geothermal energy (2023). The installed capacity of hydropower plants is about 2.1 GW, which provides the baseload power for the country’s thriving industries, such as aluminium smelters, that have been a vital pillar in the Icelandic economy for the past 30 years.
Source: Cowi.com
