CoNqueRed the StoRM - Statkraft

the hiStory leSSon
The Kobbelv river system
enough
WaTer for
200
years of
consumpTion
Shuttle service for power plant development
developing the kobbelv river system at Salten in Nordland County in the 1980s
was neither a small nor easy task. At times, there was a steady stream of helicopters
airlifting parts and equipment, as we see in this photo above Lake Reinoksvannet. A
total of eight lakes were included in the development, and the result was a reservoir of
1.5 billion cubic metres – equal to 200 years’ water consumption in the city of Bodø.
To be a bit technical, the ‘milder’ reservoir percentage is 320. In practical terms, this
means that the Kobbelv Power Plant can operate as normal for more than three years
without any rain. The power station itself was constructed inside the mountain on the
east bank of Lake Kobbelv, and began operation in 1987. The gross elevation difference
is 611 metres, and two units yield 150 MW each. The facilities, which include
two Francis turbines, were selected to utilise the reservoirs during years with little
precipitation. The average annual production is 725 million kWh.
(Source: “They tamed the water” by Sekne and Thue)
40 — StAtkRAft