Today, we visited one of Agder Energi's hydropower stations in Skjerka, a 100 MW power station that produces 612 gigawatt hours of power per year. The power station is considered to be new since it started running in 1997. However, prior to that, there was an old power station in the same location that began operating in 1932. We walked 700 feet in a tunnel to go inside of the plant. In the plant we saw where water is pumped into the plant, the control room which is remotely controlled, and the shaft that powers the generator.
After the tour, Agder Energi provided lunch for us.
We then drove 2 hours back to Grimstad. The bus driver dropped us off at the beach for a barbeque hosted by the students at the University of Agder who are coming to the University of Minnesota to study abroad this fall. We all had lots of fun playing volleyball, soccer, and Frisbee, and meeting the Norwegian students.
Tomorrow, we have a 4 hour bus ride to Oslo, Norway, our last stop before we fly back to Minneapolis on Saturday. We have really enjoyed our time in Grimstad.
