Norway Hydropower Plant Gets 25% Boost in Clean Energy

Norway just took a big step toward a more flexible clean energy future by upgrading one of its workhorse hydropower plants instead of starting from scratch.

Hafslund, one of Norway's largest power producers, selected technology company ANDRITZ to rehabilitate the Strandfossen hydropower plant on the Glomma River. The upgrade will boost the plant's capacity by more than 25%, adding 6 megawatts of flexible renewable power to Norway's grid.

The plant first came online in 1979 and currently generates enough electricity for about 10,000 Norwegian households each year. After the upgrade wraps up in 2028, it will produce enough additional clean energy to power roughly 1,000 more homes.

ANDRITZ will install a new Kaplan turbine, replace the generator, and upgrade all the automation and electrical systems. The new equipment will allow more water to flow through the plant, increasing its total capacity to 28.5 megawatts while extending its service life for decades to come.

The Ripple Effect

This project highlights a smart strategy for boosting renewable energy that often gets overlooked: making existing infrastructure work harder. Instead of building new power plants, Norway is squeezing more clean electricity from assets already in place.

The timing matters more than ever. As Norway adds more solar and wind power to its energy mix, hydropower plants like Strandfossen become crucial for grid stability. Unlike solar panels that stop producing at night or wind turbines that slow when breezes die down, hydropower can ramp up and down quickly to keep electricity flowing steadily.

The upgrade also strengthens an ongoing partnership. ANDRITZ is already rehabilitating Hafslund's Vamma plant, Norway's largest run-of-river facility, showing that modernization has become a key part of the country's renewable energy strategy.

The work demonstrates how countries can meet rising electricity demand while fighting climate change without always breaking new ground. Sometimes the best path forward means breathing new life into the clean energy workhorses already humming along.