Норвегиядағы Веморк су электр стансасы

Hydroelectric power plant in Norway

Vemork is a hydroelectric power plant outside the town of Rjukan in Tinn Municipality in Telemark county, Norway. The plant was built by Norsk Hydro and opened in 1911, its main purpose being to fix nitrogen for the production of fertilizer. At opening, it was the world's largest power plant with a capacity of
Vemork was later the site of the first plant in the world to mass produce heavy water developing from the hydrogen production then used for the Haber process. During World War II, Vemork was the target of Norwegian heavy water sabotage operations. The heavy water plant was closed in 1971, and in 1988 the power station became the Norwegian Industrial Workers Museum. A new power plant was opened in 1971 and is located inside the mountain behind the old power plant.

In 1906, the then newly founded Norsk hydro elektrisk Kvælstofaktieselskab started construction of what was to be the world's largest hydroelectric power plant. The Vemork power station at the Rjukan Falls was the world's largest power plant when it opened in 1911, after four years of construction. in order to prevent the Germans from making an atomic bomb. On 18 October 1942, four Norwegian SOE (Special Operations Executive) agents were parachuted in on a reconnaissance operation code named 'Grouse'. On 19 November 1942, Operation Freshman was conducted by the British as a Combined Operation involving the RAF and the Army, using two Halifax bombers, each towing a glider. Three of these aircraft crashed, and the survivors were captured and executed by the Germans. In February 1943, SOE's Operation 'Gunnerside' parachuted another six Norwegian agents into the area, to join forces with the four from 'Grouse'. They successfully attacked the Rjukan electrolysis plant on the night of 28 February 1 March 1943, with the loss of 500 kg of heavy water and destruction of the heavy water section of the plant. On 16 November 1943, an American air raid took place, but there was minimal damage to the electrolysis building. On 20 February 1944, a successful attack by Norwegian resistance sank the ferry "D/F Hydro" that was taking a shipment of heavy water to Germany. It was later discovered that the Germans were not as close to making an atomic bomb as had been initially feared. Today, the original power plant is an industrial museum. Its exhibitions cover both the heavy water sabotage operations and the early Norwegian labor movement.