Kårstø power station

Infobox_Power_Station
station_name=Kårstø power station


location=Kårstø, Norway
owner=Naturkraft
status=
fuel_type=Natural gas
mine_type=
conveyance=
cooling_water=
technology=
combined_cycle=
turbines=1
reciprocating_engines=
pumped_storage=
max_capacity=420 MW
commissioned=November 2, 2007
decommissioned=
extra=

Kårstø power station is a natural gas-fired thermal power plant located at the industrial site of Kårstø in Norway. The station is owned and operated by the company Naturkraft, that is again owned by Statkraft and StatoilHydro and opened on November 2, 2007. Construction costs totaled NOK 2 billion and the turbine was delivered from Siemens.

The power station has an installed effect of 420 MW, with an annual production of 3.5 TWh, equivalent of 3% of the Norwegian electrical production. It consumes 0.6 BCM natural gas/year, or 0.5% of Norwegian natural gas export. Emissions are 1.2 million tonnes carbon dioxide and 5 ppm nitrogen oxide. The entire output of the station is in electricity, since there is no need for district heating in the uninhabited area. Spill water is emitted at 18 °C and not utilized.

Controversy

The power station has been subject to massive controversy in Norway. Kårstø is the first commercial fossil fuel power station in Norway and environmentalists have argued that it is unnecessary to open another power station as long as Norway has the highest use of electricity per capita in the world.