Electricity connection promise gives Salfjord a surge of confidence

A project to build a large land-based salmon farm in western Norway has reached a major milestone by securing a guaranteed connection to an industrial-scale power supply.

Salfjord AS intends to produce 36,500 gutted weight tonnes of fish per year at the hybrid recirculation / flow-through facility at Tjeldbergodden industrial zone in Aure municipality, More og Romsdal.

It announced today that it had received confirmation that grid company Mellom AS will be able to complete the new transformer station and 55MW supply power to Salfjord 1 – Tjeldbergodden from May 2028.

Predictability to plan

The clarification provides the company with the necessary predictability for planning construction and stocking of the first fish.

“The confirmation of when Salfjord can start production is a crucial milestone for the investment decision. This gives us and our investors the necessary predictability to carry out the capitalisation of the project,” said Jan Harald Hauvik, chair of Salfjord’s board.

He said the news opened the way for concrete dialogue with long-term industrial and private investors who wish to participate in realising one of Norway’s largest industrial projects at Tjeldbergodden.

“Interested parties can contact us for more information about investment opportunities,” added Hauvik.

10-year wait

Capacity queues and processes for grid development mean that electrification of larger industrial projects is time-consuming in Norway, and Salford put in its request for a connection in April 2018.

State power provider Statnett formally allocated grid capacity to Salfjord in March 2025, and full capacity will be available in 2028 when the necessary upgrades to the transmission grid are completed. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) approved Mellom AS’s concession application for the establishment of the transformer station at Tjeldbergodden in October 2025, and the construction will make electricity available.

Last tick in the box

"This is the last tick in a long series of important milestones that have been achieved. The clarification of the timing for power access gives us confidence in the schedules for Salfjord I – Tjeldbergodden, where the construction of the Oceanfront fish farming facility with closed operations will ensure good living conditions for the fish and minimise impact on the environment and wild fish,” said Salfjord chief executive Hans Ramsvik.

“We look forward to contributing to innovation and value creation in Norwegian aquaculture.”

As well as the project at  Tjeldbergodden, Salfjord AS is looking to develop a second facility - Salfjord II - starting in 2032. This would also have a capacity of 32,500 gwt.