Búrfell is a 270 MW hydro power station in South, Iceland. It is operated by Landsvirkjun. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 270k homes (estimated). It ranks #2 of 20 Iceland power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1969, it is around 57 years old — an older, legacy facility. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 70.7% of Iceland's electricity; the national grid averages 28 gCO₂/kWh (100.0% low-carbon) (2024).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1002792.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000601798; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 270 MW, Búrfell is well above the median hydro plant in Iceland (95 MW). Technically it is described as conventional storage. Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of Iceland hydro capacity
- 14.1% of 1,918 MW across 14 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 4 of 14 dated hydro plants in Iceland are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest hydro plants in Iceland
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Landsvirkjun. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a polar tundra climate (Köppen ET) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 64.1°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 125% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 96/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with marine corrosion the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #2 largest hydro power plant of 14 in Iceland by capacity.
Iceland has 14 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 1,918 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Sultartangi · Hydro · 125 MW · South
- Búðarháls · Hydro · 95 MW · South
- Hrauneyjafoss · Hydro · 210 MW · South
- Sigalda · Hydro · 150 MW · South
- Vatnsfell · Hydro · 90 MW · South
- Írafoss · Hydro · 48 MW · South
Location
Coordinates 64.1052, -19.8335 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Búrfell?
Búrfell is a 270 MW hydro power plant in South, Iceland, commissioned in 1969.
Who operates Búrfell?
Búrfell is operated by Landsvirkjun.