Ljósafoss Power Station

The Ljósafoss Power Station began generating electricity in 1937. Two turbines, a combined 8.8 MW, were installed, and a 5.8 MW third turbine was added in 1944. Hence, the installed capacity is 14.6 MW, generating 105 GWh of electricity annually.

With the emergence of the Ljósafoss Power Station, the electricity supply quadrupled in the capital area. Suddenly, households had the luxury of using electric hobs instead of coal-fired ones. Before the station, electricity generated in the River Elliðaár only sufficed for lighting in Reykjavík. With the new excess electricity supply, households were offered electric hobs manufactured by Rafha, a domestic company. The hobs were available in subscription to the electricity.

As the name implies, Ljósafoss Power Station is located at the waterfall Ljósafoss, by the outflow of Lake Úlfljótsvatn. The station is on the river bank to the east of the waterfall. The water is channelled through the station’s pipes to the turbines and the river below Ljósafoss.

Construction and development for the Ljósafoss Power Station started in 1935 and were finished in 1937. The construction was a complex task as this was one of the most extensive construction developments ever undertaken in Iceland. At the riverbank of Lake Sog, a makeshift village for 250 people was erected to house the construction workers for this remarkable development. Christian X of Denmark laid the cornerstone for the powerhouse as Iceland was under the control of Denmark until 1944.

Utilising the hydroelectric power of the River Sog was a historical milestone, making the use of industrial machinery and equipment powered by electricity a possibility, thus expediting industrial development in the country.

The Ljósafoss Power Station, located on the River Sog which runs from Lake Þingvallavatn, like Írafoss Power Station (1953) and Steingríms Power Station (1959), faced a significant challenge on the eve of Iceland’s National Day, 17 June in 1959. A massive storm swept over the area, causing the artificial levee in the under-construction Steingríms Power Station to be washed away. This led to much water rushing through the powerhouse to Lake Úlfljótsvatn, carrying away the mould construction and everything else in its path. Despite this, our team showed remarkable resilience, mending the gap and restarting the construction in just over five days.