Vargön
Facts
Water information
History of Vargön hydro power station
The construction of the power station began in 1930. Initially, houses for the machinists and construction workers were built. The dwellings were demolished a few years ago, but the driveways and surrounding walls still remain intact. After completion, the power station was officially opened by King Gustaf V in 1934. In 1937 Vattenfall received a permit for regulation of Lake Vänern. The Water Rights Court activated the permit in 1938, mainly because it wanted to avert the exceptionally high water levels which occasionally occurred.
Vargön was designed by the architect Erik Hahr, who also designed Lilla Edet (1926) and Hojum (1941) Power Stations – which are located on the Göta Älv River. The functional style introduced at Lilla Edet Power Station was further refined at Vargön Power Station. Great emphasis was put on simplifying maintenance.
Originally the power station consisted of two turbines (Kaplan). In the 1980s a new turbine was added, which was put into operation in 1989.
The other bank of the river, opposite Vargön Power Station, is the location for the smelting plant Vargön Alloys and Holmen Paper Mill. These two industries were originally part of the same company called Wargöns, which operated a paper mill on the same site before the power station was built.
Characteristics of the Göta Älv River
The Göta Älv River, where Vargön is situated, originates in Lake Vänern, Sweden’s largest lake. Stretching from Lake Vänern to Gothenburg’s harbour and out into the Kattegatt part of the sea, the Göta Älv River carries the greatest volume of water of any river in Sweden and its 44-metre head (drop) is mainly concentrated in the river’s upper stretch at Vargön, Trollhättan and Lilla Edet. For centuries, the Göta Älv River has been a major transport route, particularly since the construction of the Göta Canal.
Vattenfall is the sole owner and operator of the four hydro power stations on the Göta Älv River: Vargön, Hojum, Olidan and Lilla Edet. The most recently built power station is Hojum, which was completed in 1941 and the first one was Olidan, completed in 1910.