Locus Energy, part of SEB Nordic Energy’s portfolio, has announced that the Gullbergelva hydropower plant has officially begun commercial operations. The plant, located in Åfjord, Norway, marks the first project to reach this milestone since Locus Energy acquired Blåfall Utvikling A/S earlier in the year.
With an installed capacity of 2.7MW and an annual production of 8.3GWh, Gullbergelva becomes the eighth operational plant in Locus Energy’s portfolio.
“The development and construction of the Gullbergelva power plant, together with 17km of grid and fiber connections, represent a milestone for us and the municipality. We are excited for the strengthened local connectivity and further renewable developments in the area,” said Lars Haugom, CEO of Blåfall AS.
Erling Iversen, Mayor of Åfjord Municipality, praised the project: “The construction of Gullbergelva fosters a strong confidence in the future development of Sørdalen by providing fiber connectivity, a grid upgrade, and securing annual land leases for landowners. As Mayor, I am highly supportive of the efforts and investments being made in the valley.”
Following the Gullbergelva project, Locus Energy plans to continue developing small-scale hydropower plants at 18 other sites across Norway.
Back in August, Locus Energy announced it was strengthening its team with the appointment of Pär Boquist as Asset Manager Hydro. Boquist has a background as a project developer from Algonquin Power & Utilities, where he concentrated on the North American market and was involved in the development and construction of multi-GW of onshore wind power and large-scale PV-systems. Additionally, he has served as a project manager for Skyborn Renewables, responsible for the development of offshore wind power projects in Europe. Pär holds a BSc in business & economics from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and an MSc in Energy Technology from Uppsala University.
