Landsvirkjun accounts for 75 percent of total electricity production in Iceland; in the year 2010 production reached 12,625 GWh. Climate change and the resulting increase in temperatures are expected to lead to a significant increase in the flow of glacial rivers in the years to come.
The construction of Kárahnjúkar Dam. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
Hydropower accounts for 96 percent of Landsvirkjun’s electricity production.
Landsvirkjun has announced they will expand the hydropower plant Búrfell in Þjórsá River by 70 MW and Sultartangi dam in the same river by 10 MW, mbl.is reports.
Had the current predictions of rising temperatures and increased flow in glacial rivers been taken into account when building East Iceland’s Kárahnjúkar dam, it could have produced 30 percent more energy than it does today.
Based on current predictions of rising temperatures the runoff from glaciers will increase significantly in the future, beyond the already observed increase. As a result of climate change Iceland’s glaciers are likely to disappear over the coming 200 years or so.
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