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growth, we believe infrastructure must serve the people, ensuring that energy access empowers communities, supports local development and creates new opportunities for the millions who live along this vital route through Angola and the DRC,” Taib said.


HYDRO-LINK has also signed agreements with the Government of Angola and with Swiss- based Mitrelli Group, which will serve as a major investor and project partner. Chicago-based engineering firm Sargent & Lundy will provide Owners Engineer and Independent Engineering services. The 400kV double-circuit transmission line will span approximately 1150km and include around 3,500 steel lattice towers. It will feature US-manufactured 400 kV polymer insulators, ACCC® carbon-core conductors, and a 24-fiber optical ground wire system for telecommunications. The line will serve several mining regions and communities along the route, including Saurimo, Cuango, Lucapa, and Luena in Angola, and Dilolo, Kisenge, and Kolwezi in the DRC.


Norway Norsk Hydro makes largest hydropower investment in decades with Illvatn pumped storage project Norsk Hydro has approved construction of the Illvatn pumped storage power plant in Luster Municipality, marking its largest hydropower investment in more than 20 years. Work was set to begin in November, with operations planned for 2030. The plant will add 107GWh of annual


renewable generation dedicated to Norsk Hydro’s aluminium production. The project includes an 8km tunnel linking the reservoirs at Fivlemyrane (1,018m asl) and Illvatn (1,382m asl). The total investment is NOK 2.5 bn (US$250m), with Norsk Hydro’s net cost reduced to NOK 1.2bn (US$120m) under Norway’s cash flow tax scheme for hydropower. “Renewable energy has never been more important. We are now making the largest investment in our hydropower portfolio since the development of the New Tyin power plant in Årdal in 2004. The Illvatn pumped storage plant will contribute increased energy production, reservoir capacity, as well as installed power capacity from our facilities in Fortun. As we take this major step, our ambition is net-zero loss of prioritized nature. With this, we are setting a new standard for our hydropower development,” said Kari Ekelund Thørud, Executive Vice President of Hydro Energy. The plant will pump water from Fivlemyrane


to the higher Illvatn reservoir. The minimum regulated water level in Illvatn will be lowered to increase reservoir capacity. Norsk Hydro says this will reduce summer water loss and boost generation in the winter months, when power demand is highest. The project also involves construction


of a 13km power line from Fivlemyr to Sveinsøystølen. Norsk Hydro plans to use 48 aluminium power towers instead of traditional steel or composite structures. Norsk Hydro emphasises the importance of


new renewable power in supporting industrial activity in Norway. “We need to develop more power and grid infrastructure to secure jobs, new industry, and welfare. As a major industrial player, we want to contribute to building out this power. Increased and more flexible hydropower production is an important and integrated part of our efforts to ensure power at competitive prices for Hydro’s Norwegian aluminium plants,” said Thørud. Norsk Hydro’s aluminium production in Norway currently has a carbon footprint roughly 75% below the global average, and the company aims to produce zero-carbon aluminium by 2050. The Illvatn project is intended to strengthen Hydro’s long-term renewable power base as it works toward that goal.


UK


Green Highland secures long- term contract to operate historic Kinlochleven Green Highland, a subsidiary of Voith, has signed a long-term agreement to operate and maintain the Kinlochleven hydropower plant, one of the oldest in the UK. Under the contract, Green Highland will


take full responsibility for daily operations and long-term maintenance of the facility, which was commissioned in 1909. The company will modernise the site to improve performance, extend its lifespan, and ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental, and quality standards.


As part of the transition, members of the


existing Kinlochleven team have joined Green Highland to provide continuity and site-specific expertise.


“It’s an honour to be trusted with the full operation and maintenance of Kinlochleven,” said Alex Reading, Managing Director at Green Highland. “We are also delighted to welcome members of the previous site team to Green Highland. Their knowledge, decades-long experience and passion for hydropower are a perfect fit for the Green Highland team. These skills and qualities are among the reasons why our clients have the highest level of trust in us. Now, our joint focus is to ensure the site continues to deliver vital renewable energy for another 100 years and more.” The agreement combines Voith Hydro’s


global technical resources with Green Highland’s local operational expertise, creating what the companies describe as a comprehensive approach to managing the historic site. “This landmark agreement is a significant


step forward in the expansion of our long-term service portfolio for our customers around the globe,” said Sunil Pandiri, Chief Service Officer


6 | December 2025 | www.waterpowermagazine.com


at Voith Hydro and Green Highland Board member. “Kinlochleven will benefit both from our deep knowledge as a full-line supplier and trusted service partner, as well as from the local, operational expertise of Green Highland. With our full-scope support, this hydropower plant will provide reliable renewable energy more efficiently.”


Kinlochleven, located in the Scottish


Highlands, includes three 10MW Francis turbines, a dam, pipelines, and the Blackwater Reservoir. The plant originally powered an aluminium smelter and now supplies electricity to the national grid. The site is owned by Equitix, which acquired


the plant in 2019. The company focuses on long-term investment in renewable energy and selected Green Highland as its partner for Kinlochleven’s continued modernization and operation.


Sweden Vattenfall orders fossil-free steel for Stornorrfors dam gate Swedish energy company Vattenfall has ordered 120 tons of fossil-free steel from SSAB AB to build a new dam gate for the 603MW Stornorrfors hydropower station. Installation is planned for 2028. The steel will be produced using fossil-free sponge iron from the HYBRIT demonstration plant in Luleå – a joint venture between Vattenfall, SSAB, and LKAB. The HYBRIT process replaces coal with renewable electricity and hydrogen in ironmaking, eliminating nearly all fossil carbon dioxide emissions. The new gate will be 21m wide and 11m high, making it the largest steel component produced to date with near-zero emissions from iron production. The replacement is part of scheduled maintenance at Stornorrfors. Vattenfall’s initiative supports its target to


reach net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2040 while extending the operating life of its hydropower assets for the next century. Located on the Ume älv river, the Stornorrfors power plant was commissioned in 1958 and operates with four turbines. Over the past two decades, Vattenfall has carried out extensive safety and environmental upgrades at the facility and its associated dams, including spillway improvements, erosion protection, and reinforcements to withstand 10,000-year flood events. The company has also invested in fish protection measures, such as a 300m fish ladder and a nearby fish-breeding facility in Norrfors, which releases tens of thousands of salmon, sea trout, and grayling each year to support local ecosystems.


Peru


ULMA formwork deployed for San Gabán III surge chamber ULMA Construction supplied its MK underground tunnel carriage system for the


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