The first hydropower plant inscribed on the World Heritage List.
Tyssedal and Odda also represent the early, hectic phase of heavy processing industry based on hydropower. High waterfalls, good storage facilities and a location on an ice-free fjord in Southern Norway were decisive for the establishment of the power station in Tyssedal and the carbide and cyanamide factories in Odda (1908).
Rjukan/Notodden and Odda/Tyssedal together constitutes a unique example of the achievements within scientific, technical, industrial, engineering and social fields that were opened by the use of electricity, when it had become available and practicable in a big scale as energy.
Tyssedal Power Plant is a hydroelectric power statoin. It is a conservated, technical and industrial heritage in Tyssedal in Odda municipality in Hordaland. The power station was northern Europe’s first high pressure systems. When the plant was completed in 1918, it was installed 15 units with Pelton turbines totaling 100 MW. The station produced alternating voltage with a frequency of 25 Hz and had an average annual production of 700 GWh. The 15 generators represented in the 1920′s about 10% of the total electricity production in Norway. The plant differed not only as a technological cutting edge technology, the architecture and the building’s location by the bay is also remarkable. The two architects Thorvald Astrup and Victor Nordan inspiration from Italian churches and cathedrals, and the result is an industrial building that is very strong aesthetic. It remained in operation from 1908 to 1989. As one of the largest protected plants in Northern Europe, it was protected in 2000.
Norsk Hydro Rjukan is an industrial facility operated by Norsk Hydro at Rjukan in Tinn, Norway, from 1911 to 1991. The plant manufactured chemicals related to the production of fertilizer, including ammonia, potassium nitrate, heavy water and hydrogen.
More information: World Heritage Center
