Norwegian utility Statkraft, which is also a dominant renewables player in Europe, has opened a mini-hydro plant at Rodberg to further exploit cascade potential and has approval to build the Eiriksdal station.
The 2.9MW Rodberg plant has been built between the Nore 1 and Nore 2 plants, and generates electricity using the minimum releases from the Rodberg dam. It is expected to generate an average of 15.5GWh per year.
Statkraft said that the new plant exploits 60% of the gross head between Nore 1 and Nore 2.
The utility has a total of 214 hydro power plants, 144 in Norway and it is looking at upgrades as well as further exploitation at existing sites. It has a goal of further hydro power development in Norway to add up to 2000GWh per year more of electricity to the grid.
At the end of last year the company was given approval to build the Eiriksdal plant in the Hoyanger river catchment. The plant is to generate approximately 100GWh per year, increasing the electricity generated from the catchment by 11% to 1000GWh per year.