Energy · Iceland

What was the original budget of Kárahnjúkar Hydropower Plant?

The Karahnjukar Hydropower Plant (Fljotsdalur Power Station) is the 690 MW hydropower scheme in eastern Iceland, owned by the national power company Landsvirkjun, with the 193 m high Karahnjukar Dam and other dams forming the Halslon reservoir, 73 km of tunnels carrying water to the Fljotsdalur valley and an annual generation of about 4,600 GWh to supply the Fjardaal aluminium smelter of Alcoa, with construction of the dam and headrace tunnels begun in April 2003 and the project completed in 2009. The independent Hydropower Sustainability Assessment hosted by Landsvirkjun states that the original cost estimate was approximately USD 1 billion, that the Minister for Industry announced cost increases of USD 264 million in 2008 and that a final number has not been made public.