weblog 2026 |
|
[home] [weblog] [science] [people] [station] [ny-ålesund] [sightings] [sitemap] [nederlands] |
|
Minister opens emergency powerplant | 6 Augustus 2026 |
The Norwegian minister of climate and environment, Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, has come to Ny-Ålesund to open the new emergency power station. A report on vital infrastructures had identified the powerplant as the most sensitive infrastructure. It delivers electricity and hot water to the town. Even small fluctuations could jeoperdize sensative instruments and science, but the biggest problem are all underground pipes in town, which need to be heated with water or electricity to keep the inside flowing. If those freeze, life in town stops.
 The minster during his speech is standing to the right. In his speech: it is a bit unusual for a minister of climate to open a diesel power plant... Further from right to left Hege Walör, director of Kingsbay, the present manager of the power plant, next Øvind Tåsåsen, the technical manager of Kingsbay and Leif Arild Håjem, summer help but already staying regular in Ny-Ålesund since 1984, alternating working for the Norwegian Polar Institute and Kingsbay.  | |
|
Press on the red button, to hear the noise of the powerplant. |
To the left a short video of the start of a turbine. After the ceremony there was cake. And the minister came talk to Fieke Rader, Martine van den Heuvel and me. He had recognized me (wooden shoes) and still remembered my name. Three years ago I had the opportunity to talk to him while waiting for a delayed plane in Longyearbyen. He is a nice person and is really also discussing his strategy with us, three years ago and now again. "For the average Norwegian, the melting glaciers are still far away. The fires in France and Spain are in countries which are much warmer than Norway. But the fire in Scotland was a clear signal for Norway. Similar temperature and a lot of precipitation and still almost uncontrolable fires." This social democrat is an amazing man. Ready to make compromises but also with a clear goal in the (near) future. Our contribution was informing him of the lack of water in The Netherlands and the linked problems for dikes and irrigation of agricultural crops. |
[home] [weblog] [science] [people] [station] [ny-ålesund] [sightings] [sitemap] [nederlands]
