Anglers buy hydroelectric plant to decommission it

Anglers in Sweden have bought a hydropower plant so that they can decommission it.

The Swedish Anglers Association (Sportfiskarna) – a member of the European Anglers Alliance (EAA) – has taken the unusual step of buying the plant near Ovansjö so that it can dismantle the structure. Sweden is plagued by more than 2,000 hydropower plants, many of which contribute little to the electricity supply but cause great damage to the aquatic environment.

Demolition is expected to take place in 2024 and is being financed by Sportfiskarna and the Hydroelectric Environmental Fund, financed by a group of eight Swedish energy companies charged with ensuring that hydropower plants can continue to produce renewable energy with less impact on the environment.

“With this investment, we want to give fish the opportunity to swim up the River Stångån without lowering the water level in the upstream Bölesjön. We also want to show that there is an opportunity for owners to eliminate harmful obstacles to fish migration without having an impact on the Swedish energy supply,” said Joakim Ollén, Chairman of Sportfiskarna’s Board

By decommissioning the plant, sea trout, eels and lamprey will be able to migrate further up the river. This will contribute to restoring biodiversity in the area, to the delight of landowners upstream, anglers and the ecosystem as a whole. 

Picture: Svante Harström