Consultation for the Hvammur hydro plant

Landsvirkjun (LV), Iceland’s state power producer, invites interested parties with relevant experience to participate in a Preliminary Market Consultation process (PMC) for the development of the Hvammur hydropower plant, to assess whether the project is feasible from a technical, financial, environmental and operational point of view. LV is currently re-exploring the feasibility of developing the plant, which was initially designed between 2007 and 2011. The design was updated 2015-2017 and has been on the drawing board since then.

Hvammur, which is planned to be located on the Thjorsa river in southern Iceland, about 120 km east of the capital of Reykjavik, is the uppermost of three planned hydro plants in the lower reach of the river. The current design includes two fish friendly 46.5 MW vertical shaft Kaplan units, each with a rated flow of 176 m3/s and a generator output of 57 MVA, which will operate under a gross head of 32 m. The project would also include a dam impounding a reservoir with a storage capacity of 13.2 x 106 m3 or 13.2 Gl, a headrace tunnel with a length of 140 m and a width and height of  6.6-7 m, and two 191 m-long penstocks, with diameters of 6.8 m, and a tailrace canal with a length of 2000 m.

Part of the feasibility study will compare the feasibility of one Francis unit with the current solution with two Kaplan units. Landsvirkjun is re-exploring the feasibility of using one Francis turbine as an alternative to the two Kaplan units currently planned. It should be noted that, if a formal procurement process is initiated later, after this market consultation, Landsvirkjun will conduct an open procedure and invite expressions of interest from all interested parties. The invitation applies to experienced hydro equipment designers and manufacturers who have extensive experience in delivering both Francis and Kaplan unitsto European customers, in accordance with European standards, for similar conditions with similar parameters.

LV requests indicative prices and basic outline drawings for both the current design (possibly with different speed) and for the alternative with one Francis unit. The fish friendliness of both alternatives will also be investigated and considered.

All information and documents from participating organizations with the relevant experience who are interested in taking part in this consultation process will be handled with full confidentiality. This process is a PMC only and not a procurement process. Therefore, LV does not commit to undertake any procurement process with respect to these projects and/or award any contract(s) in this procedure. Parties should note that participation in this PMC process is not a prerequisite to participating in any subsequent procurement process.

Landsvirkjun is committed to ensuring that all parties are treated equally, and any information shared on behalf of Landsvirkjun during the preliminary market consultation will be made available to all organizations shortlisted through any subsequent procurement process.

For further information contact:

Procurement Department

Landsvirkjun

Haaleitisbraut 68

Reykjavik, Iceland.

Email: innkaup@landsvirkjun.is

Tel: +354 5 159 000

Fax: +354 5 159 006