Randi

The construction of Randi’s power plant went at a staggering pace. The reason for the hurry was the great oil crisis that struck in 1973, the same year construction began. Lake Randijaure was impounded by an earth dam, and water was directed through a 500-metre tunnel to Lake Unna-Seunnak. From there, the water runs through a two-kilometre long canal to the machine room. Once the water has passed the power station, it runs through a 95-metre tunnel to Lake Stor-Saunnak, and a two-kilometre long channel to Lake Klubbuddssjön. The regulation reservoir has a capacity of almost 100 million m³ with very little variation when it comes to water levels – only two metres, which is less than the lake’s natural changes.

Randi’s power generation unit uses a head of 24 metres, and is a combination of a below and above ground plant. The building has been excavated into the ground, but the roof sticks up along the ground. When the control room was built inside the plant, it was isolated for sound and vibration using special rubber cushions, which was unusual at the time. The Randi construction is the last newbuild in the River Luleälven, and no new power plants have been built since its opening in 1976. Thus, the power plant marks the end of almost 80 years of construction in the Luleälven that saw a new power plant popping up every five years, on average.

Since the power plant was built when cars were common, no great local measures were needed. Five buildings were erected, however, with space for 90 people.

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