About NO2-Southwest Dam

The NO2 Southwest zone encompasses Agder and parts of Rogaland in southwestern Norway, a region historically known as the cradle of Norwegian hydropower. This zone contains some of the largest and most strategically important reservoir systems in the country, including the Otra, Ulla-Førre, and Tokke-Vinje complexes. With a storage capacity of approximately 33.5 TWh, NO2 is by far the largest single reservoir zone in Norway, holding more water than any other Nordic country's entire hydropower system. The Blåsjø reservoir, the largest artificial lake in Norway covering over 82 square kilometres at full supply level, is the centrepiece of the Ulla-Førre development and a critical seasonal storage buffer for the entire Norwegian power system. The landscape of NO2 is defined by the dramatic mountains of the Setesdal highlands and the Hardangervidda plateau, where precipitation is among the highest in northern Europe — Vest-Agder receives up to 3,000 mm of rain annually on the western slopes. This makes NO2 the primary balancing reservoir for the Nordic power market, able to absorb surplus wind and solar energy in wet periods and release stored energy during dry spells or cold snaps. Statkraft, as the majority owner of Ulla-Førre, manages these reservoirs as part of a portfolio that extends across the entire Nordic market.