In Norway, a country of mountains and deep fjords, there are significant variations in elevation, which means that waterfalls can be hundreds of metres high. Due to these ideal circumstances, 95–97% of the country’s energy production is obtained from hydropower. To keep the technology in hydropower plants up to date and the whole system easy to service, Norway’s aging hydropower stations are continually being modernised.
“Modernisation reforms a power plant and makes it more efficient. The machinery can be fitted into a smaller space and the plant’s own energy consumption can be optimized. At the same time, safety and user-friendliness are improved, because the plant can be monitored and adjusted remotely,” says Kim Råholm, Vice President of VEO’s Hydropower Business Unit.
Over the coming years, one of the largest power producers in Norway, Eidsiva Vannkraft AS, will modernise their electrification and automation in a dozen of their hydropower plants and has contracted VEO to help. The framework agreement made with Eidsiva will ensure VEO a steady workload for the foreseeable future. The long list of projects includes the construction of one new power plant and the modernisation of about a dozen.
“VEO will supply an electrification and automation turnkey package for these: we will design, manage the projects and handle material procurements, as well as the installation, testing and commissioning of the delivered systems. In the end, our client will receive fully functioning plants courtesy of VEO,” Råholm explains.
VEO is one of the largest and most reliable operators even in massive contracts.
Kim Råholm
In Råholm’s view, the giant deal with Eidsiva demonstrates first and foremost that VEO is one of the largest and most reliable operators in this field and a trusted partner even in massive contracts. One of the company’s most important competitive advantages is its independence of systems and components.
“We can supply and make everything using the components and methods the client chooses. As a smaller company, we can also act in a flexible and efficient way, because we make, for example, the required switchgear and cabinets in our own factories,” he explains.
VEO’s stable market share in Finland, its strong focus on the Swedish market and well-established footprint in Norway will drive VEO’s expansion in the Nordic area. All in all, Råholm sees a prosperous future ahead for VEO.
