Blanda Power Station came on-line in 1991. It is located on the northern edge of the high-lands near the end of the Kjalvegur Mountain Road. To the north is a view over the Blöndu-dalur Valley where the River Blanda flows out to the sea near the town of Blönduós. The Blanda Station is an underground plant, located approximately 230 metres below the surface.

The river flows through grassy fields in the lowlands, but its source is in a region that only a few decades ago was a desert. After the creation of a 56 km2 storage reservoir, extensive revegetation efforts were initiated. Since 1981, Landsvirkjun has cultivated over 5000 hectares at an altitude of 400–600 m by fertiliser treatment and sowing. This is one of the most extensive reclamation projects ever undertaken in Iceland’s highlands.

An underground plant, located approximately 230 metres below the surface.

A dam was built in the River Blanda near the Reftjarnarbunga Hill, an ideal area for a reservoir. A dam was also built near the source of the River Kolkukvísl which flowed into River Vatnsdalsá. These dams formed the Blanda Reservoir, which has a live storage capacity of 412 Gl and is the third-largest lake in Iceland. From the Kolka Dam, the water is diverted through diversion canals and lakes on a 25 km long route to the station’s intake reservoir, Gilsárlón. The reservoir has an area of 5 km2 and has a live storage capacity of 20 Gl.

From the intake reservoir, water runs through a 1300 m long canal to the station’s intake, where it is diverted to the turbines in the powerhouse. The drop to the turbines from the harnessed head is 287 m. From the turbines, the water is lead through a 1700 m tailrace tunnel back into the river course.

Blanda Power Station came online in the autumn of 1991 and is in the Northwest. 

Verkfæðistofa Sigurðar 
Thoroddsen hf. - Iceland

Vélsmiðja Orms og Víglundar - Iceland
Metalna - Slovenia

Fossvirki hf. - Iceland
Hagvirki hf. - Iceland

Installed capacity	165 MW
Genereating capacity	990 GWh/year
Rated output per unit	55 MW
Catchment area	1520 km²
Average discharge	39 m³/s
Total head	287 m
Live storage	400 Gl

Area	5 km²
Live storage	20 Gl

Construction and mechanical equipment	Verkfæðistofa Sigurðar Thoroddsen hf. - Iceland
Raffræðileg hönnun	Rafteikning hf. - Iceland
Architects	Arkitektastofan sf. - Iceland

Háspennuvirki	Merlin Gerin - France
Turbines and control equipment	Sumitomo Corp. - Japan
Tunnels and neðanjarðarmannvirki	Krafttak sf. - Iceland
Gates og water pressure pipe	Vélsmiðja Orms og Víglundar - Iceland Metalna - Slovenia
Dams and waterways	Fossvirki hf. - Iceland Hagvirki hf. - Iceland

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