Iceland generates almost 100% of its electricity from renewable energy resources and Landsvirkjun generates 75% of this electricity.
We operate 14 hydropower stations, three geothermal power stations and two wind turbines in five areas of operation, all over Iceland. The Þeistareykir Geothermal Power Station is the third geothermal station to join Landsvirkjun’s fleet. The first turbine came online on the 17th of November and began operations a month later once the testing period had been completed.
We believe in an integrated approach where prudence, reliability and the harmony of operations with the environment and society are fundamental to our operations.
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A record year in energy generation
Electricity generation was successful in 2017 and surpassed 14 Twh.
Generation levels reached record levels in the Fljótsdal, Sigalda, Búðarháls, Sultartanga and Steingrímsstöð Power Stations.
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Hydropower: 13,459 GWh
The total energy generation of Landsvirkjun’s hydropower stations was approx. 13,459 GWh in 2017.
Landsvirkjun operates 14 hydropower stations all over Iceland, divided into four areas of operation. There are six power stations in the Þjórsá area, with a total of 18 generating units and a number of waterway structures. The area spans from the Hofsjökull Glacier and down to the Búrfell Hydropower Station. There are three power stations in the Sog area with a total of eight generating units and several waterway structures by the Þingvallavatn Lake and Úlfljótsvatn Lake.
The Laxá Power Stations are located in the Blanda area. There are three stations in the area, with five turbines and the waterway at the Blanda Hydropower Station spans a length of 25 km, from the Reftjarnarbungu and down to the Gilsá River
The fourth operational area is the Fljótsdalur Hydropower station, the largest hydropower station in the country, with six generating units and extensive waterway structures including tunnels 70 km in length. The Station generated 5,000 GWh this year or approximately 37% of Landsvirkjun's total generation.
The total energy generation of Landsvirkjun’s geothermal power stations was 565 GWh in 2017, compared with 496 GWh in 2016.
Experimental operations began at Þeistareykir in October and the increase in power can be attributed to this.
We are committed to utilising geothermal energy in a sustainable and responsible manner. An integral part of this approach is maintaining the balance between the utilisation and the natural renewal of the geothermal reservoir. Separated hot water which is not utilised for electricity production is injected back into the geothermal reservoir.
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Landsvirkjun operates three geothermal power stations at Krafla, Þeistareykir and Bjarnarflag with a total of four generating units.
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Wind power: 6 GWh
Landsvirkjun operates two wind turbines for research purposes in an area called Hafið just to the north of the Búrfell Hydropower Station. Each turbine has an installed capacity of 0.9 MW. Operations have been successful this year with few interruptions. The turbines generated 5.6 GWh this year.
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Landsvirkjun generated 13,898 GWh of electrical energy which was then fed into the Landsnet transmission grid in 2017; an increase of 4.6% when compared with figures for 2016.
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Operation of power stations
The operation of Landsvirkjun’s power stations was successful throughout the year. There were 82 unforeseen interruptions in 2017 which is comparable to that of 2016. Landsvirkjun's goal is to ensure that generating units in the power stations are available 99% of the year, not accounting for routine maintenance periods. This goal was achieved this year as units were available 99.8% of the time which is the same availability as the previous year.
Landsvirkjun operates in accordance with an integrated, certified Quality Management and Environmental Safety Management System, based on ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and the Internal Electrical Safety Operation System (RÖSK), which fulfils the criteria set out by the Iceland Construction Authority on electrical safety issues. Landsvirkjun has been certified as a producer of green electricity by the German company TÜV SÜD who specialise in the certification of green electricity. In addition, the Company’s IT division’s safety management system is certified in accordance with ISO 27001.
Quality is an important factor in the design and construction of new power stations. This approach is maintained during the operational period. Monitoring, equipment status, maintenance and improvements should be carried out with this in mind to ensure the maximum life-span.
80 years of operations at the Ljósafoss Hydropower Station
The Ljósafoss Hydropower Station celebrated 80 years of operations and is still going strong. The utilisation ratio of the station was approx. 97.5% which means that the turbines at the station were active for 357 days this year. The station was off-line due to maintenance and inspection for a total of 7 days and experienced only one day of unplanned interruption.
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29,000 structures registered in the maintenance support system
Landsvirkjun has always been at the forefront with regard to the organisation and execution of maintenance and renewal.
A number of support systems have been set up throughout the years to assist employees in improving efficiency and ensuring success. An example of this was the first computer generated maintenance system which was taken into use nearly 30 years ago, only a few years after the first PCs hit the market
The maintenance system includes 17 stations with 43 units which are then divided into a number of systems and equipment. There are 29,000 registered structures within the system and approx. 5000 work orders are released on an annual basis including inspection and maintenance. Approximately 50 overhaul projects are carried out each year.
The cost of supervision, inspection, maintenance and improvements is approx. 5.5 billion ISK per year.
A new asset management system was taken into use in 2013 and is based on the ISO 55000 standard. Specialised software was also introduced in connection with this. Renewal projects are prioritised based on benefits and based on a value- model. The value model is based on factors that may cause a loss of income for the Company, as well as positive factors that generate increased income or benefits of other kinds.
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The value model for assessing the benefits of renewal projects
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International award for sustainable utilisation
The Blanda Hydropower Station received the IHA Blue Planet Prize in 2017, which is awarded by the International Hydropower Association, IHA to hydropower projects that demonstrate excellence in sustainable development.
The prize is awarded on the basis of an assessment using the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol, a tool that measures the sustainability of a hydropower project across a range of social, environmental, technical and economic aspects. The assessment was conducted at Blanda in 2013 and many of the working procedures at the station were found to be of the highest quality.
