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Forsmo

Forsmo
The supply of electricity was under pressure in Sweden during the 1940s. More hydro power was needed to meet the electricity demand. Vattenfall therefore started to plan the development of the Ångermanälven River. In 1945, Vattenfall was permitted to start construction of a hydro power station at the Forsmoforsen rapids.

By creating a dam to regulate Forsmoforsen, a head (drop) of 34 metres was created, enabling Kaplan turbines to capture the energy of the water. The immediate need for electricity resulted in several compromises. The first unit was commissioned in record time on 16 February 1948, but the fast pace came at a price: there were several temporary arrangements, i.e., no floors in the machine hall and no gates to the halls where the transformers were situated. In the first two years the power plant also had to be run with a temporary control panel and with temporary manual control of the turbine blades instead of a servo motor.

The initial units were operated at their maximum capacity, which resulted in regular periods of repair work. When the remaining units came into operation in 1958, it became possible to run the turbines at a more normal capacity.

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