Statkraft has selected ABB to modernise the control, protection and electrical systems at the Vikfalli hydropower complex in western Norway. The work covers the Målset, Refsdal and Hove power stations in Vik municipality, around 170 kilometres northeast of Bergen.
The three plants contain five generating units and produce about 830 GWh per year, equivalent to the annual electricity use of roughly 53,000 Norwegian homes. ABB will install a common Ability System 800xA control and monitoring platform and Unitrol 8000 excitation systems while integrating equipment supplied by other manufacturers.
The contract also includes low- and medium-voltage systems, generator protection, vibration monitoring, cybersecurity measures, digital tools and cabling. Modern excitation and protection equipment should help the units comply with evolving grid codes and respond more effectively as Norway’s power system balances larger volumes of variable renewable generation.
Hydropower supplies around 90% of Norway’s electricity and provides both dependable domestic generation and critical flexibility for interconnected European markets. Extending the life of existing plants can add resilience without building entirely new dams. Site work at Målset is scheduled to start in 2028, followed by Refsdal and Hove in 2029, after early collaboration between ABB and Statkraft on the technical design.
Source: Renewable Energy World
