Improved utilization of Landsvirkjun’s transmission network

September 29, 2002

Jón Bergmundsson from Afl Engineering, Thórdur Gudmundsson from Landsvirkjun, Arve Strandem from Statnett and Árni Björn Jónasson from Línuhönnun Engineering sign the agreement on a study of Landsvirkjun’s transmission network.

This is done with the aim of improving utilization of the existing infrastructure for greater cost-effectiveness.

Approaches will include:

• Increasing the transmission capacity of the system by installing new switchgear.
• Upgrading lines for higher power capacity
• Installing monitoring and control equipment to bring the equipment and system modules closer to their capacity thresholds
• Modified working procedures and stepped-up training of system control personnel
  Using such approaches, many power distributors have substantially boosted the capacity of their transmission networks, making this a very interesting project from an environmental perspective.

Landsvirkjun has contracted Statnett of Norway and the Afl and Línuhönnun engineering companies to work with its employees on an in-depth study of Landsvirkjun’s transmission network with respect to the above points.

Further power-intensive industrial development in Iceland is in the pipeline. The main project is the proposed new aluminium smelter in East Iceland, while expansions of existing facilities at Grundartangi and Straumsvík are also under discussion. These plants will herald a major increase in power transmission, which is why Landsvirkjun has launched the project.

Statnett owns and operates Norway’s electrical transmission network and has just completed the same kind of review of its own system. This revealed that a sizeable increase in power transmission could be made at relatively low cost and by employing new system control procedures.

Landsvirkjun considers that the work now being launched will lead to more cost-effective structuring of the transmission network over the decades to come and will minimize the need for new lines, which is consistent with the company’s environmental policy.

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