Parki

Following construction in Seitevare, it was time for Vattenfall’s workers to go to Parki to erect River Luleälven’s smallest power plant with a total output of 20 MW, an eleventh of what the power plant in Seitevare provides. The small power plant, which started operating in 1970, was unusual as the head used is only 14 metres. For this reason, Parki was equipped with a Kaplan tube turbine, which Vittjärv’s power plant would also get later.

In the 1970s, work had to be hurried up, however, due to growing demand for electricity in the country, caused by a dry year, cold weather, an industry boom, and a breakdown at the steam power generation unit in Stenungsund. All of these coincidences resulted in 1,400 industries that used a lot of power having their electricity rationed for five weeks. The energy companies also appealed to the public to save electricity until the arrival of the spring flood.

The electricity produced by Parki’s power plant was mainly seen as a bonus, but actually, the regulation of the water was more important for power plants downstream from there. Regulation included Lakes Tjåmotisjaure, Skalka, Parkijaure and Katnesjaure, which together formed a water reservoir of 460 million m³.

The average age of the workers at Parki was unusually high; 50 – 60 years. An excellent workforce, according to work manager Hans Hittekofner. At most, 125 people worked at Parki, and its proximity to Jokkmokk meant that no workers’ village was created, just a few temporary bachelors’ homes, an administration building, and two saunas.

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