The vain of energy flowing to Reykjavík

 

Nesjavallavirkjun to the south and west of Lake Þingvallir, north of Mount Hengil is a power plant that started producing engergy in 1990. It was Verkís who designed this large power plant, which produces 300 MW of thermal energy and 120 MW of electricity for the capital area. The hot water is transported in an almost 30 km long supply pipe to Reykjavík, and is responsible for heating a large part of the capital’s residents. Each thermal water well, of which there are 25 at the power plant, is between 1000 and 2200 deep and the temperature there has been measured up to 380°C. There is around and over 60 MW of energy in each borehole, energy that is enough to heat housing for 7500 people. The excess energy is then used for electricity production. Clean, green and cheap energy, now in these times when energy prices abroad are at their highest. No less than 1,640 l/sec of scalding hot heating water flows from Nesjavallavirkun to Reykjavík.