Friday, July 1, 2016

Iceland: Tenders Invited to Renew 3 MW Turbines at Bjarnarflag Geothermal Station

Renewal of Bjarnarflag Geothermal Station turbines (News Release)

Tenders to be submitted before 12:00 hours on Wednesday 31st of August 2016

Bjarnarflag Geothermal Station

Landsvirkjun has decided to renew the turbines in the old 3 MW Bjarnarflag Geothermal Station in order to ensure its continued operation. A call for tenders has been issued, with the work itself scheduled for the summer of 2017.

The old Geothermal Station at Bjarnarflag began producing electricity in 1969, making it Iceland's oldest geothermal station. The turbines in the Station were manufactured by British-Thomson Houston (BTH) and were previously used in a sugar refinery in the United Kingdom from 1934. The old turbines have been deteriorating significantly in recent years and the point has been reached where the station now produces little electricity and working on the turbines may present hazards. 

The station no longer plays a significant role in Iceland’s power generation, but it remains important for the local area around Lake Myvatn. It produces all the energy that the area needs, and in addition the local heating utility, Hitaveita Skútustaðahrepps, obtains heat from the station and nature baths at Lake Myvatn use its excess water.