Landsvirkjun

Landsvirkjun is the Icelandic state power company. The company provides electricity ready and delivers it to the heavy industry as well as to regional utilities. They take over the distribution to households and small businesses.

Landsvirkjun was founded by the Republic of Iceland and the city of Reykjavik and finances with the help of the World Bank. 2005 Landsvirkjun celebrated its 40th anniversary. Chairman of the Board is Bryndís Hlödversdóttir, Managing Director is Hörður Arnarsson.

Operating income in 2009 amounted to 193 million USD, while the loss amounted to -344 million USD last year.

History

Landsvirkjun was founded on July 1, 1965. The owners were the Icelandic State and the City of Reykjavík. At the foundation Landsvirkjun took over three hydropower plants on the river Sog, Írafossstöð, Ljósafossstöð and Steingrímsstöð. These plants were previously the City of Reykjavík and the Icelandic State.

In the first years after its founding, Landsvirkjun mainly involved in projects in the south and southwest of the country. The first project the Landsvirkjun conducted was the construction of the hydropower plant on the river Búrfell Þjórsá, which was put into operation in 1969. The next projects were Sigalda (1977) and Hrauneyjarfoss (1981). These power plants are both on the river Tungnaá.

In 1983 the city acquired Akureyri 5% stake in Landsvirkjun from the City of Reykjavík. This three small hydropower plants on the river Laxa and the geothermal power plant Bjarnarflag came into the possession of Landsvirkjun in the north of the country. 1986 acquired Landsvirkjun the Krafla geothermal power plant of Rarik.

In 1984 began the construction of the hydropower plant Blanda, which was put into operation in 1991. In 2000, the hydroelectric plant Sultartangi was put into operation in 2001 and Vatnsfell was taken the fifth hydropower plant in Þjórsá - Tungnaá area in operation.

2005, a new Electricity Act in force. Hence the supply of the production of electricity has been disconnected. It was the company founded Landsnet, which took over the power grid of Landsvirkjun. In 2006, the Icelandic government acquired the shares in Landsvirkjun which were owned by the City of Reykjavík and the town of Akureyri. An amendment to the law was passed in December 2006. This Landsvirkjun is 100 % owned by the Icelandic State.

The Kárahnjúkar project was completed in 2008 and the associated power plants Fljótsdalsstöð was commissioned in 2007.

The electricity network

In 2003 Landsnet HF was founded. Landsnet took over the Icelandic High voltage electricity network of Landsvirkjun, Rafmagnsveitur ríkisins and Orkubú Vestfjarða, who are also the owners. It rents the lines of Orkuveita Reykjavíkur and Hitaveita Suðurnesja. The company provides all electricity producers, the network at the same price for passing available. The main high-voltage lines, for the most part 220 KV lead from the highlands to the conurbation around the capital.

A 132 KV line was created a ring around the island, in order to ensure the broadest possible supply to all parts of the country even when outages. Some lines are 66 KV and 33 KV and also close smaller power plants and distribution points. There are two 420 KV lines built which will transport the electricity from Kárahnúkarvirkjun after Reyðarfjörður, they are first operated at 220 KV.

Power plants

Landsvirkjun operates 16 power stations with a total capacity of 1860 MW (as of 2010). Most of this is provided by thirteen hydroelectric power plants (1797 MW ) and two Geothermalkraftwerken (63 MW). A natural gas power plant (35 MW ) is used as an emergency generator and balance of power peaks.

Landsvirkjun dined 2009 12,154 GWh in Landsnet a network, of which 96 % were derived from hydroelectric power.

Hydropower plants

  • Blöndustöð (150 MW)
  • Búrfellsstöð (270 MW)
  • Fljótsdalsstöð ( 690 MW); see Kárahnjúkar project
  • Hrauneyjafossstöð (210 MW)
  • Laxárstöðvar ( 28 MW ) ( three plants)
  • Sigöldsustöð (150 MW)
  • Sogsstöðvar (89 MW) ( three plants)
  • Sultartangastöð (120 MW)
  • Vatnsfellsstöð (90 MW)

Geothermalkraftwerke

  • Bjarnaflagsstöð (3 MW)
  • Kröfluvirkjun (60 MW)

Gas power plants

  • Straumsvík (35 MW)

Kárahnjúkar project

At the Kárahnjúkar project was carried out in the years 2003-2008. The project consists of five dams, three storage lakes, 72 km long tunnel and a power plant. The power plant is Fljótsdalsstöð in East Iceland in Fljótsdalur. In the project two glacial rivers were used. Jökulsá Brú is dammed at Mount Kárahnjúkar in the reservoir Hálslón. Jökulsá í Fljótsdal is dammed in reservoir Ufsarlón. Along the rivers are routed underground to the power plant Fljótsdalsstöð. The water is finally passed into the original lower reaches of the river Jökulsá í Fljótsdal. The capacity of the power plant is 690 MW. The stream is passed to the operation of an aluminum smelter Alcoa in Reyðarfjörður. Due to the impact on the environment, the project was highly controversial.

Geothermal power in Iceland
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