Reykjanes power station (original) (raw)

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Geothermal power station in Reykjanes, Iceland

Reykjanes power station
Reykjanes Power Station
Map
Official name Reykjanesvirkjun
Country Iceland
Location Reykjanes
Coordinates 63°49′35″N 22°40′55″W / 63.82639°N 22.68194°W / 63.82639; -22.68194
Status Operational
Commission date May 2006
Construction cost US$100 million
Owner HS Orka
Geothermal power station
Type Flash steam
Min. source temp. 290 °C (550 °F)
Wells 12
Max. well depth 2,700 m (8,900 ft)
Power generation
Units operational 2 × hp 50 MW + 1 lp 30 MW
Nameplate capacity 130 MWe
External links
Commons Related media on Commons
[edit on Wikidata]

The Reykjanes power station (known as Reykjanesvirkjun [ˈreiːcaˌnɛsˌvɪr̥cʏn]) is a geothermal power station located in Reykjanes at the south-western tip of Iceland.

As of 2012, the power plant generated 100MWe from two high pressure 50MWe turbines, using steam and brine from a reservoir at 290 to 320 °C (554 to 608 °F), which is extracted from 12 wells that are 2,700 m (8,900 ft) deep. This was the first time that geothermal steam of such high temperature had been used for electrical generation.[1]

In May 2023 a low pressure 30 MWe turbine started operation, bringing the power output of the plant to 130 MWe. The turbine uses medium and a low pressure steam at about 155 °C (311 °F) and 105 °C (221 °F) coming from the separation station that separates steam from geothermal fluid. The residual heat from the cooling water is used to heat sea water for fish farming.[2]

The power plant was open to the public and housed the Power Plant Earth interpretative exhibition. However, the exhibit was closed in June 2018.[3]

From December 2023 staff based at the Reykjanes power station controlled remotely the geothermal Svartsengi power station which was threatened by volcanic activity.[4]

  1. ^ "Reykjanes Geothermal Power Plant". Power Technology. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Stækkun Reykjanesvirkjunar lokið".
  3. ^ "Power Plant Earth". Facebook. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  4. ^ Ketilsson, Páll (1 December 2023). "Þrekvirki unnið við að halda framleiðslunni órofinni og efla á sama tíma varnir fyrirtækisins". www.vf.is (in Icelandic). Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.