Fivelandselva power plant

Fivelandselva power plant is located in Sauda municipality in Rogaland county.

History

The Fivelandselva river is located in Sauda municipality, Rogaland. Fivelandselva has its outlet from Stemvatnet 600 meters above sea level, (the lakes of Longavatnet, Botnatjødna og Botnavatnet run into Stemvatnet).
The river has been very important for the Fiveland farm, and the waterfall has been used for grinding stones and for the mill house (Augnedalen), registered in the early 1800-1810.
The sawmill down by the homestead “Saglien”, registered around 1820. This sawmill supplied materials for the construction of ships in Shetland. There was also a stamp mill by the river.

2011: April. The landowners began collaborating on a possible power station on the Five river. Their partner was Haugaland Kraft

2014: 19. Dec. A licence was granted by NVE

2016: 
1. Jan. Haugaland Kraft and Sunnhordaland kraft merged.

2017: 22. May. The project was “rejected”.

2017: 24. May. Contacted landowners contacted Halvard Tesdal at Småkraft, and began talks/negotiations.

2019: 12. Aug. Construction begins by road construction with local contractor Brødrene Selvik, excavation of power station and start-up of penstock route in Dec. 2019

2020:  30. June. First casting of the base of the dam.

2020: 9-11. Dec. Trial run, connection to the grid.

After 16 months of collaboration between landowners, Småkraft, the local contractor and technical personnel (Energi Teknikk), Fivelandselva power plant is permanently put into operation in February 2021 for the benefit of the environment and local value creation.

The project

The implementation has gone according to plan and is today an exceptional project. In total, about 21,000 kg of explosives were used, and about 30,000 metres were drilled.
The landowners are pleased with how the local contractor (Brødrene Selvik) and Småkraft have solved challenges along the way and protected the landowners’ interests throughout.

Technical information

The Fivelandelva power plant has an inflow from a catchment area of 6.6 km2. Minimum water flow in winter is 35 l/s, while in summer it is 85 l/s.
The intake at elevation 368 and the power station elevation at 122 gives a fall height of 246 metres. Power production is an estimated 8.5 GWh in a normal year. The Pelton turbine has 5 nozzles with a maximum flow rate of 1500 l/s and runs a 3340 kVA, 6600 V generator. The voltage is converted to 11kV before the power is delivered to the grid. Installed capacity is 3.1 MW. With a yearly consumption of16,000 Kwh, the power plant has the capacity to supply approx. 530 households. The intake consists of a gravity dam with its own concrete intake construction.
The waterway consists of GRP pipes and ductile cast iron pipes that are buried and stretch 1407 metres from the intake to the turbine. The power plant is constructed in the familiar Småkraft style.

Technical data

Rainfall field

6.6 km²

Minimum water flow

Summer: 85 l/s

Intake elevation

368 m

Power station elevation

122,0 m

Drop height

246 m

Production

8.5 GWh
This corresponds to electricity 531 households.