Kvinnherad

Overview

Kvinnherad hosts a substantial portfolio of 29 active concession cases dominated by grid and hydropower projects, including the major Blåfalli Fjellhaugen (220 MW) and Blåfalli III (116 MW) hydropower facilities that feed into Statnett's transmission network. The Onarheim and Husnes transformer substations serve as key connection points, with Statnett actively upgrading the regional 420 kV transmission backbone through multiple large-scale projects. The Husnes area is emerging as a consumption hub, with Hydro Aluminium's industrial expansion and two data center reservations (90 MW combined) now queued at Husnes TRA.

Recent Activity

In late June and early July 2026, NVE granted a concession to Bratseth AS for provisional high-voltage construction power installations at the new Onarheim transformer substation — signaling that the 420 kV substation build-out is now actively underway. No withdrawals or rejections have been recorded in the past 30 days.

Key Substations

Municipality Stance

Kvinnherad appears broadly supportive of energy development, hosting large-scale hydropower, major Statnett transmission upgrades, and new consumption projects without evident regulatory obstruction. The municipality's industrial heritage at Husnes (Hydro Aluminium) provides a foundation for continued energy-intensive development.

Outlook

Kvinnherad has strong fundamentals for continued energy development. The 420 kV transmission upgrade programme (Blåfalli–Mauranger–Samnanger and Sauda–Blåfalli) will significantly increase regional grid capacity, and the Onarheim substation coming online improves supply security at Husnes. The two data center queue reservations (90 MW) at Husnes TRA reflect investor confidence in the area's grid access, while Hydro Aluminium's 33 MW industrial reservation signals ongoing industrial expansion. Developers should monitor the progress of the 420 kV upgrades and the Husnes Sago substation legal review, as these will determine near-term connection capacity.