Apart from the initiators, the Managing Director, shareholders, members of the Board of Directors and local politicians, the guests also included representatives of manufacturers, construction companies and tradesmen. A speech was given by a local artist who had designed a wrought iron gate especially for the occasion.
The Sevre power station has been in operation since March 2008, and since April 2008 has delivered electricity to Alpiq Norway AS, an Alpiq Norwegian subsidiary. Three generator units each of 1.5 megawatts should produce an annual output of 16 GWh of electricity and supply approximately 800 Norwegian households. The generation capacity of the power station can be checked by anyone at any time via SMS. Ecopower Skandinavia, which is responsible for the construction and operation of small hydro power stations in Norway, holds a 36 percent stake.
The participation in the Sevre power station is a part of Alpiq's strategy to invest several hundred million Swiss francs in the construction and acquisition of small hydro power stations in Norway over the coming years. Thus following Switzerland and Italy, Alpiq is also supporting the expansion of small hydro power stations in Norway. Norway has an enormous potential: 5.3 percent of the total area in Norway, or some 20 000 square kilometres, is covered by water. In addition to Sevre, since July 2008 Ecopower Skandinavia also holds an initial stake of some seven percent in a hydro power station project with an output power of 1.5 megawatts in Ullensvang on the Hardanger Fjord in the western part of Norway. Commissioning is scheduled for the first quarter of 2009.