Hrauneyjafoss Hydropower Station

A dam has been built on a relatively flat part of the River Tungnaa, about 1.5 km above the Hrauneyjafoss waterfall and 5 km downriver from the Sigalda Station. A reservoir measuring 8.8 km² is formed behind the dam, which consists of a fairly low soil wall stretching along the lava field on the south bank of the river.

 

A headrace channel about 1 km in length runs northwards from the reservoir through a pass in the Fossalda hill, to an intake point on its northern edge. Three 272 m steel shafts with a diameter of 4.8 m lie down the slope to the powerhouse. The head is 88m. The tailrace, just over 1 km in length, enters Spordoldukvisl, a tributary of the River Tungnaa. Switchgear, gas-insulated with SF6, is housed inside the station.

 

On the rim of the highlands

Hrauneyjafoss is the second-largest power station in Iceland, located in a beautiful setting on the southern rim of the central highlands, en route to the black desert of Sprengisandur. The station can now be reached by a good paved road all the way from Reykjavik which was developed by Landsvirkjun in cooperation with the Public Roads Administration.

 

When Hrauneyjafoss Station was under construction, as many as 640 people were living and working in what had been uninhabited land. An average of 20 now work at the station itself, their numbers boosted in summer by students working in the area. The Hrauneyjafoss team also monitor and service Sigalda Station which is 10 km away, and will be responsible for Vatnsfell Station as well when it goes on stream.

Information Leaflet (1 MB)