Curtailments Cancelled Due to Favourable Weather Conditions

Landsvirkjun has cancelled curtailments to large end users approximately three to five weeks earlier than forecast in mid-April. The Company’s reservoir levels are improving reasonably rapidly, and considerable snow accumulation in the highlands indicates high inflow in the coming weeks.

Recent warm weather has increased inflow, e.g., in the catchment area of the river Tungnaá in the South. Drawdown in the lake Þórisvatn seems to have stopped this spring. The extended-range weather forecast for the South predicts warm weather, leading to rising river levels in Þjórsá.

Water levels at the reservoir Blöndulón have risen rapidly due to the recent generous melt.

However, the same cannot be said about the reservoir Hálslón at Fljótsdalur Power Station, as water levels there have changed little recently. On the other hand, snow accumulation in the East is high, and Landsvirkjun’s cautious forecasts expect increased inflow soon.

The air temperature in Iceland is predicted to be around or above average for the next three weeks. If this is the case, reservoir water levels will quickly improve.

Late last year, curtailments were imposed on interruptible services to fishmeal and fish drying plants and data centres mining for cryptocurrency. Despite the bright outlook, these curtailments will continue as no surplus energy is available.

Furthermore, curtailments were imposed on district-heating plants and large end users, e.g., Elkem, Norðurál, and Rio Tinto. Further curtailments were announced in February for North and East Iceland, including the aluminium smelter Alcoa Fjarðaál, the silicon metal plant PCC BakkiSilicon, and TDK foil, the aluminium foil manufacturer.

However, these curtailments have been cancelled.

We thank our clientele for their cooperation and patience during challenging water budget conditions in the past winter.