Energy Minister Terje Aasland participated in the celebration of the newly rebuilt Fosstveit power plant near Tvedestrand on August 13. After two years of reconstruction and substantial investments, Fosstveit now generates electricity for about 450 households, and salmon and trout have finally been given a safe passage up the Storelva river.
– It warms my heart to hear about the results and the effort that has been put in. This is a significant environmental contribution for the future, said Energy Minister Aasland to those present at the reopening.
A Boost for Nature
The Norwegian Society for Nature Conservation has described the upgrade as “from the worst to the best in class.” Småkraft AS acquired the power plant as part of a larger portfolio in 2022. By then, it was well known that salmon, trout, and eels faced a horrible fate when encountering the turbines at the plant.
Since the acquisition, Småkraft AS has worked to find a new technical solution to prevent fish from entering the power plant. For Småkraft, this has been crucial for the continued operation of the facility.
– Now, we are taking care of both sea trout, salmon, and eel, and it is important to protect our species going forward, said Energy Minister Aasland to NRK Sørlandet.
An Example to Follow
In the project, the team from Småkraft worked closely with fishermen and other experts. This collaboration was crucial when searching for the right technical design. The knowledge and solution developed for Fosstveit will set an example for other power plants facing similar challenges.
– Here, we have a project that can definitely be applied to other small hydropower plants facing the same issues, Aasland continued.
Promising Results
The project has a total price tag of 14 million NOK. A new stainless steel intake screen, measuring 44 square meters with 15 mm openings, has been installed. The steel facing the current has rounded edges to prevent fish from being injured upon contact. The water velocity approaching the intake screen does not exceed 0.5 m/s, allowing fish and eels to move freely without being sucked against the screen.
A new fish passage has been built with a gate that controls the water flow. Water from the fish passage is directed via a sigmoid-shaped concrete channel to the pool downstream of the dam. From this pool, the fish have free passage to the river downstream and past the power plant outlet.
The lower fish ladder from 1975 has been repaired and now allows a minimum flow of 200 liters per second.
Supervisor Werner Grov has observed that the number of smolt (young salmon) has already nearly tripled, from just under 2,000 last year to over 5,000 this year. According to measurements, 120 salmon have already found their way up the ladder, compared to 85 last year. Local sport fishermen are eager to follow the development further.
For Småkraft AS, the upgrade at Fosstveit is an investment for the future, with the goal of ensuring good conditions for the fish for the next hundred years.
– We think long-term. We see the value in investing in nature and considering biodiversity. And we see that this is an investment that will eventually pay off in increased power production, said a proud Terje Vedeler, CEO of Småkraft
See the news story from NRK Sørlandet (In Norwegian).
