The Alcoa Fjardarál aluminum smelter in Reydarfjördur, the East Fjords, has increased its purchase of electricity from national energy company Landsvirkjun by 40 megawatts more than the original contract states, which was 537 megawatts.
The reason for the increased purchase of electricity is the fact that Kárahnjúkar dam in the eastern highlands, which Landsvirkjun operates, produces more electricity than originally estimated, Morgunbladid reports.
The Reydarfjördur smelter can thus produce more aluminum. According to its operational license, the smelter has permission to produce 346,000 tons of aluminum per year, and with more electricity that quota can be fulfilled.
Gudmundur Pétursson, senior project manager of Kárahnjúkar dam, said that with this additional sale of energy the high cost constructions at the dam required, which exceeded estimates, can be partially made up for.
Pétursson said the reason for this unexpected additional energy production at Kárahnjúkar is that there is more inflow of water than originally estimated, less resistance in the afflux tunnels than expected and the turbines in the power plant are more efficient than they had hoped for.
The last tunnel was drilled at Kárahnjúkar yesterday.
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