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Welcome to Statkraft
Is 90 per cent of your summer holiday already booked, but you remain open to suggestions for filling up those last few days? Well, Statkraft has seven popular attractions.
Currently there are five open power plants in Norway, one in Sweden and one in Wales. Public interest has been increasing steadily, and last year the number of visitors reached 100,000. Bjørnar Olsen, head of information in Region Northern Norway, says most of the Norwegian open power plants are located in small communities and as a result, the politicians make sure to promote renewable power generation with the tourists.
“The power plants often work together with local tourist offices or travel agents on guided and organised tours,” Olsen says. “The tourist office connects the power plant with other local attractions and history.”
Statkraft first started planning dedicated visitors’ centres as a separate part of new power plants in the 1970’s. Since World War II, there has been an increased interest in the power plants from the public, an interest that appears to still be growing.
“Nothing beats experiencing the power plants up close. When they enter the turbine hall for the first time, most people go a bit slack-jawed over the size,” Olsen says.