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Iceland geothermal: Engineering calm in a volcanic storm

Plugged In: the energy news podcast

Plugged In: the energy news podcast
Iceland geothermal: Engineering calm in a volcanic storm
Jan 15, 2026 Season 8 Episode 2
Montel News

In this week's episode, we take a trip to the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland to visit the Svartsengi power Station. Located only several hundred metres from several active volcanoes, the 85 MW geothermal plant has withstood 12 eruptions over the past few years - only shutting down once when power lines actually melted.  

Richard sits down with HS Orka's CEO to find out exactly how this resilient power station kept running when lava was flowing down the mountainside and the local residents were being evacuated. Not least how the company upgraded the plant on time and under budget.

 Host: Richard Sverrisson - Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Guest: Tómas Már Sigurðsson - CEO, HS Orka

Editor: Oscar Birk
Producer: Sarah Knowles

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