ANDRITZ to upgrade Strandfossen hydropower plant
Published by Jessica Casey,
Editor
Energy Global,
Hafslund, one of Norway's largest power producers, has selected ANDRITZ to rehabilitate and upgrade the Strandfossen hydropower plant on the Glomma River. The upgrade will extend the plant’s service life and increase its total installed capacity by more than 25%, strengthening the supply of flexible and reliable renewable power and supporting grid stability in Norway.
The order has a value in the mid-double-digit million-euro range and will be included in ANDRITZ’s order intake for 2Q26.
ANDRITZ's ‘from water-to-wire’ scope covers a new Kaplan turbine, a generator, and the complete replacement of the automation and electrical power systems. The project will increase the plant's installed capacity by 6 MW through increased discharge capacity, bringing the total to 28.5 MW. The model test of the new runner will be conducted at ANDRITZ's hydraulic laboratory in Tampere, Finland. The generator will be designed and manufactured in Weiz, Austria. Commissioning is scheduled for 2028.
As Norway continues to expand variable renewable energy generation, the flexibility of hydropower plants becomes increasingly important for grid stability. This makes modernisation projects such as the one at Strandfossen an important part of the country’s energy transition.
The Strandfossen plant was commissioned in 1979 with equipment from KMW, whose hydropower business is today part of ANDRITZ. The plant currently generates 154 GWh of electricity annually, equivalent to the demand of around 10 000 Norwegian households. Following the upgrade, its annual generation is expected to increase to 168.5 GWh, enough to supply around 1000 additional households.
This project builds on the ongoing partnership between Hafslund and ANDRITZ. ANDRITZ is currently also rehabilitating Hafslund’s Vamma plant, the largest run-of-river plant in Norway.
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Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/other-renewables/07072026/andritz-to-upgrade-strandfossen-hydropower-plant/