Statkraft has decided to build the Blåfjell Pump to channel more water directly into Blåsjø, Norway's largest hydropower reservoir. This project will increase electricity production in the Ulla-Førre power plants by 54 GWh, equivalent to the annual consumption of around 2,700 Norwegian households. The initiative aims to utilize water more efficiently by lifting it approximately 60 metres into the reservoir, mitigating flood losses and constraints in the current watercourse.

Four local and regional suppliers from Karmøy, Suldal, Voss and Grenland have been awarded construction contracts worth a total of NOK 250 million. Work on the pumping facility begins this week. The project includes a transfer tunnel, a pumping station inside the mountain, and several smaller transfer structures, with a total cost of approximately NOK 300 million.

Blåsjø serves as Norway's largest "hydropower battery," capable of storing water for several years to balance weather-related variations between dry and wet years. The reservoir stretches across Ryfylke and Setesdal. By increasing the water level in Blåsjø, Statkraft enhances generation within the existing Ulla-Førre system with limited additional environmental impact.

"Finally, after many years of planning and adjustments, we have found a profitable way to carry out the project. Getting more water into Blåsjø is perhaps one of the most valuable things we can do for society," says Pål Otto Eide, Executive Vice President for Development in Statkraft.

The Blåfjell Pump project is part of Statkraft's broader strategy to invest NOK 70 billion in Norwegian hydropower over the next ten years. Concurrently, Statkraft will carry out improvements required by the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) on four dams at the western end of Blåsjø, with plans to complete all work during 2028.