Hydroelectric power plants use the potential energy of water stored in a reservoir to operate turbines. The turbines are connected to large generators, and can operate on varying volumes of water to adapt to changing demand for electricity. Hydroelectric power plant capacity is related to the height and capacity of a reservoir and require certain conditions in local geography in addition to a water source. Hydro is a renewable energy source and more cost-effective than many other renewable sources of energy such as photovoltaic. Hydropower currently provides about 25% of the world's electricity and is very flexible in scale. Commercial installations range from 1 MW up to the largest installation to date of 18,400 Megawatts (China).
Mannvit Engineering is a leading engineering firm in hydroelectric energy and has designed and built complete hydropower plants (impoundment type), ancillary systems and power transmission systems in Iceland and abroad. With installed systems from 1MW to 690MW, Mannvit has completed a number of large and small systems, including:
• Karahnujukar hydroelectric power plant – 690 MW
• Búrfellsstöð hydroelectric power plant – 270 MW
• Hrauneyjafosstöð hydroelectric power plant – 210 MW
• Blöndustöð hydroelectric power plant – 150 MW
• Sigöldustöð hydroelectric power plant – 150 MW
• Sultartangastöð hydroelectric power plant – 120 MW
• Vatnsfellsstöð hydroelectric power plant – 90 MW
• Sogsstöðvar hydroelectric power plant – 89 MW
• Laxárstöðvar hydroelectric power plant – 28 MW
Small Hydro (under 10MW):
• Qorlortorsuaq small Hydroelectric Power Station - 8 MW, Greenland
• Múlavirkjun small hydro power plant - 6 MW
• Djúpadalsvirkjun small hydroelectric power plant - 1.8 MW, Iceland
• Tasiilaq small hydroelectric plant - 1.2 MW, Ammassalik, Greenland
• Fjardararvirkjun small hydroelectric plant, Iceland
In Iceland, Mannvit had been involved in all the major hydropower projects since the 1970s. Mannvit's expertise in hydroelectric power projects includes:
• Hydropower Engineering
• Civil, Structural and Mechanical Design
• Feasibility Studies
• Site Investigations
• Cost Estimates
• Contract Documents
• Tender Evaluations
• Environmental Impact Assessments and Reports
• Project Management
• Project Planning
• Supervision
• On-site Inspections
