Håkon Bergsodden, Director of Hydropower and Power Transmission at Norconsult.
Since 2023, Norconsult has been engaged as the “Owner's Engineer" at the Cruachan pumped storage hydropower plant (PSH) in Scotland, and now Norconsult has extended its contract with Drax to oversee the delivery of new equipment and construction work on behalf of the power producer. Drax will refurbish two of the four units at the PSH plant and replace all key components while increasing the installed capacity.
Strategically important
"Norconsult views PSH in Europe as strategically important for the stability of the power system. It is therefore gratifying that our strong hydropower expertise helps our clients lead the way in preparing the power system for future needs," says Håkon Bergsodden, Director of Hydropower and Power Transmission at Norconsult.
PSH plants with good flexibility are an essential part of the British power system, which has a significant share of less regulable thermal power production and offshore wind. Cruachan is one of these pumped storage plants playing a central role in keeping the grid stable.
Technically Challenging
The Cruachan plant was commissioned in 1965 and has four reversible pump turbines with an original output of 100MW. Two units were upgraded to 120MW in 2005, and now the time has come for a major upgrade of the remaining two units.
Norconsult contributes technical expertise across all disciplines in connection with the upgrade and acts as the client's advisor, monitoring design and deliveries.
"It is technically challenging to upgrade a pumped storage plant like Cruachan, as large components need to be replaced inside a relatively narrow mountain hall. At the same time, there are strict operational requirements in the United Kingdom, and with increased forces resulting from increased capacity, there are several major assessments required to ensure functionality and reliability," says Trond Moltubakk, Norconsult's pump turbine expert and project manager through the first part of this assignment.
As part of the extended contract, Norconsult's involvement is increasing, especially in project management and execution, with resources from Norconsult's Project Execution Division (PEX).
40 years since the last major development
It has been almost 40 years since the last major hydro facility in the UK was commissioned, and much of the expertise is no longer available.
"Developers rely on professional expertise to ensure quality in suppliers' deliveries while keeping costs and progress on schedule. Despite the complexity of Cruachan, the project is progressing according to plan, with the upgraded units expected to be commissioned in 2026 and 2027," says Moltubakk.
Read more about: Håkon Bergsodden appointed new EVP of Renewable Energy at Norconsult - Norconsult
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For further information, please contact:
Henrik Charlesen, Senior Communication Advisor, henrik.charlesen@norconsult.com
About Norconsult
Norconsult is a leading pan-Nordic interdisciplinary consulting firm combining engineering, architecture and digital expertise across projects of all sizes, for private and public customers in infrastructure, energy and industry, buildings and architecture. Headquartered in Sandvika, Norway, Norconsult’s delivery model is centred around knowledge hubs and local presence through approximately 6,500 employees across around 140 offices in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Poland and Finland.