- 1. Reykjavík AreaReykjavík is the capital of Iceland, surrounded by suburbs and fascinating places.
- 2. ReykjanesReykjanes peninsula is full of geothermal wonders and also the home of Keflavík Airport.
- 3. West IcelandOne of the most famous attraction in the West is Snæfellsjökull glacier.
- 4. WestfjordsAn isolated part of Iceland, with a natural beauty beyond compare.
- 5. StrandirIf you’re looking for desolated wilderness and solitude, Strandir is the place for you.
- 6. North IcelandHome of Dettifoss waterfall, the most powerful waterfall in Europe.
- 7. South IcelandIceland’s most visited region, with plenty of waterfalls, black sand beaches and glaciers.
- 8. Highlands and interiorThe uninhabited region of Iceland, with amazing landscapes that are hard to find anywhere else.
- 9. East IcelandThe eastern part of Iceland is the home of the reindeers and Iceland’s biggest forest.
The Nine Wonders of Iceland
We split Iceland into nine different regions to make your search for information easier. Simply click on the region you want to explore and read about towns, attractions, hiking, accommodation and more.
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Smyrlabjargaa Power Plant
Region: South IcelandCoordinates: 64.331951° N 15.612484° W
River Smyrlabjargaa runs through County Sudursveit. It mostly collects run off water, but also carries some glacial meltwater from the glacier snout Heinabergsjokull. This snout retreated fast during the second half of the 20th century, and the plans for the construction of a hydroelectric power station in the sixties were postponed. It was considered necessary to carry out a more detailed research of the volume delivered over a longer period of time before costly enterprises were started.
Construction commenced in 1968
In 1956 a Czech company was contracted to provide the generators for four power stations on rivers Grimsa, Mjolka, Fossa, and Smyrlabjargaa. During the research period, the reserve, diesel generation of electricity was increased in the town Hofn. The power plant was built near Farm Smyrlabjorg. The construction work commenced in 1968. Several disruptions delayed the process, but eventually the power station was inaugurated on October 3rd 1969. The original capacity was 1,000 kW, but the enlargement of a dam and other measures increased it to 1,200 kW. Later it was increased to 1,485 kW. In 1974 new reservoirs were added to stabilize the operation of the power plant.
Smyrlabjargaa pover plant in Icelandic
Photo Credit: Orkusalan.is
