Hydropower and energy

The nature surrounding Tafjord is wild, beautiful, and magnificent with mountainsides that go 1800 meters straight up from the fjord. The mountains are very useful for electricity production, and today large areas of Tafjordfella have been developed with a total of 8 power stations that capture a watershed of about 388km2 where 80% of this area is higher than 1000 meters above sea level.

Tafjord Hydropower was established in 1917, and the first power station in Tafjord was completed in 1923. The station was operational until 1989, but today it is still home to a lot of rich history and currently serves as the museum and activity centre

The concrete dam at the mouth of Lake Zakaria is 95 meters high, at one time it was the highest dam in Norway, today it has become a popular tourist attraction. With 70 million m3, Zakarias Dam is the largest reservoir in Tafjordfjella. It takes about 15 minutes to drive from the Avalanche and Hydropower Center to Zakarias Dam.

We also have put up an anchor rig so people can rappel down the dam. Read more about this under Climbing and Rappelling.

Old Tafjord Power Station 1 was closed in 1989 and turned into a museum. All the original machines are located in the impressive exhibition hall. The hall itself has been partially renovated to house the new education center.

Water turbines and machines stand side by side to show the history of hydropower, while projections on the wall take viewers back in time.