Bøylefoss is Arendal Fossekompani’s first and largest hydro power
plant. Construction began in 1911 and the first power that was delivered from Bøylefoss in the summer of 1913 laid the foundation for Arendal Smelteverk and Det Norske Nitridaktieselskap in Eydehavn outside Arendal. These two power-intensive industrial companies were also decisive for the power plant’s creation.
The plant has a long and proud history and it is of great fortune that it is run by an advocate of preservation, Operating Leader, Jan Roald.
Jan Roald is an encyclopaedia of local knowledge. He moved into one of the Bøylefoss's family housing units when he was just six months old and has overseen the power plant for the last 27 years.
“During my childhood, the plant wasn’t just a place of business. Everyone who worked here was required to live here which meant it was the centre of our community.”
Jan Roald’s father was a mechanic who worked at the plant. Growing up, the facility was Jan Roald’s playground. Today, he oversees the giant turbines that produce around 450 GWh a year, equivalent to the consumption of around 27,000 Norwegian households, utilizing a drop height of 62 meters in the lower part of the Arendalsvassdraget in Froland municipality.
When things are running smoothly, Jan Roald can often be found in a room that makes the plant perhaps one of the more unique power providers on the planet. It is a room filled with artifacts from the past. Everything from giant iron wrenches longer than skis, to scuba suits. Jan Roald and his team have managed to preserve nearly everything.
The operational plant with its display of archives was often populated with school visits. Though recently, the museum’s Curator Jan Roald shares that the students haven’t visited in a while.
“I don’t think there is budget for these kinds of class trips anymore. It’s fun when the students visit and get to ask questions about the plant’s operations and history," he reflects.
It is surprisingly not known who decided to start the museum that lies in the neighbouring room of the giant turbines. When asked whose job it was to both run and populate the museum with artifacts, Jan Roald states that it was everyone’s job. “Everyone who works here contributes when they have the time.”
Bøylefoss hydro power plant is currently operated by AFK Vannkraft- a portfolio company of Arendals Fossekompani. In 2006, Bøylefoss was classified as a particularly valuable cultural monument within Norwegian power production by the Norwegian Directorate of Water Resources and Energy. Its facade is currently under renovation and the first phase is set to be completed around Easter, 2024. The building’s facade housing the giant turbines and precious artifacts within reflects what Arendals Fossekompani has done since its establishment in 1896. By building upon the past and utilizing hydro power resources, they continue to invest in pioneering technology that powers the world forward.
