Statkraft aim to produce more electricity at the Alta hydropower plant

(Alta, Norway 18 September 2025) Statkraft has submitted a license application for an upgrade of the Alta power plant. By utilizing water currently bypassing the plant during floods, production could increase by up to 20 percent. This will be achieved by installing a third turbine, with minimal new environmental impact. The water flow in the salmon-carrying stretch of the Alta River will not be changed.

When the Alta power plant was built in the 1980s, the facility was designed to accommodate three turbines. Due to grid limitations in Finnmark at the time, only two were installed. The turbine is a part of the installation that generates electricity from the energy in the water. Since the power grid has been reinforced in recent years, it can now handle more electricity. Statkraft is therefore applying for a license to increase power generation at Alta power plant by around 20
percent, by utilizing parts of the floodwater that currently passes the plant.

– It is important to make the most of the water that has already been regulated for power production. If this project is carried out, we will be able to produce more electricity by using the floodwater, with limited additional impact on nature and the environment. Alta is an important national salmon river and holds great value for both the local community and local businesses. The environmental condition of the Alta River is good, and the operational regulations will remain unchanged. We have kept the owners of the fishing rights in the river (ALI) informed throughout the planning process, and we consider it essential that the salmon habitat remains at least as well-preserved as it is today. We believe this is safeguarded in the plans we have now submitted to NVE, says Maren Sisilie Joné, Regional Director at Statkraft.

The construction of the Alta hydropower plant in the 1980s holds a special place in Norwegian hydropower history and is closely tied to engagement for both nature conservation and indigenous Sámi rights. If Statkraft is granted permission to install a third turbine, it will mean increased activity in reindeer grazing areas during the construction period.

– The Alta hydropower plant is located in a core area for Sámi livelihoods and cultural practices. The power plant has strong historical references, and we are very conscious of this as we assess the opportunity to upgrade the plant. For this reason, involvement from the reindeer herding community is a key part of the process of preparing the license application. Over the past year, the affected siidas have worked with us to develop solutions where both parties have made adjustments and taken measures so the project can be carried out. We are pleased to have secured agreements already with the most affected siidas, 23A Válgenjárga and 23C Jalgon, even before the application was submitted, where they agree to the project if Statkraft is granted a license, says Maren Sisilie Joné. Dialogue with other siidas and districts is still ongoing.

The license application is now being submitted to NVE, The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, which will carry out a broad public consultation as part of the licensing process. If NVE grants a license, Statkraft will decide whether to carry out the project, which could be completed at the earliest by 2030. 

– Finnmark needs to facilitate further business development. Access to electricity plays an important role in creating new jobs. Statkraft is an important player in Northern Norway, and with an upgrade of the Alta power plant we will strengthen that position even further, says Regional Director Maren Sisilie Joné.
In January 2024, Statkraft presented a plan for the renewal and expansion of Norwegian hydropower, including at least five major upgrades. In total, the company plans to invest up to NOK 55 billion in the upgrading and maintenance of Norwegian hydropower. The upgrade of the Alta plant is part of this plan.

– Statkraft has managed Norwegian hydropower for 130 years. We are now entering a phase where many power plants need to be modernized to produce electricity in a changing power system. We have previously announced projects at Mauranger in Western Norway, Nore in Eastern Norway, and Aura in Central Norway, where we are also building the new Svean hydropower plant. We are now submitting a license application for the upgrade of Alta. We are an energy company with a presence throughout Norway, working in close cooperation with municipalities, businesses, and local interests wherever we operate, says Pål Otto Eide, Senior Vice President for Development, Nordics at Statkraft.