The Aurland river system was estimated to annually produce around 2 billion kWh of hydroelectric power.
It was developed in the 1970s after a much disputed decision by the Stortinget (the Norwegian Parliament) in 1969.
Oslo Lysverker (the Oslo utility) was behind this development.
It was promoted as a demonstration of public power development.

The environmental impacts of the hydroelectric development are notable; the great waterfalls in the Aurlandsdalen have been silenced.
The standing waves, spray and mist from the rapids and waterfalls has been substantially reduced.
Due to diversion through tunnels, the water level in the river gorges is drastically reduced; dams restrain the thundering inferno that filled the gorges before the development.
There are other impacts as well.
The Aurlandselvi river is no longer one of the finest salmon rivers in Norway.
Farmers no longer drive cattle, pigs and goats to spend the summer at Østerbø and Stemberdalen.
The pack horses, formerly a common sight in the valley, as Jon Fimreite and Knut Sønnerheim among others transported provisions and supplies to Steinbergdalshytta and Østerbø, have become part of history.

Aurlandsdalen has become like the most of the other valleys, characterized by traffic, tourists and gradual urbanisation.
Only the remote Nesbø-Vassbygdi region remains mostly undisturbed, if one ignores the strong reduction in the water flow in the Aurlandselvi and the visible stretch of highway between Berdalstunnellen (Berdal tunnel) and Nesbøtunnellen (Nesbø tunnel) visible in the hillside from the path at Heimrebø.
The Aurland river system was estimated to annually produce around 2 billion kWh of hydroelectric power. It was developed in the 1970s after a much disputed decision by the Stortinget (the Norwegian Parliament) in 1969. Oslo Lysverker (the Oslo utility) was behind this development. It was promoted as a demonstration of public power development.
The environmental impacts of the hydroelectric development are notable; the great waterfalls in the Aurlandsdalen have been silenced. The standing waves, spray and mist from the rapids and waterfalls has been substantially reduced. Due to diversion through tunnels, the water level in the river gorges is drastically reduced; dams restrain the thundering inferno that filled the gorges before the development. There are other impacts as well. The Aurlandselvi river is no longer one of the finest salmon rivers in Norway. Farmers no longer drive cattle, pigs and goats to spend the summer at Østerbø and Stemberdalen. The pack horses, formerly a common sight in the valley, as Jon Fimreite and Knut Sønnerheim among others transported provisions and supplies to Steinbergdalshytta and Østerbø, have become part of history.
Aurlandsdalen has become like the most of the other valleys, characterized by traffic, tourists and gradual urbanisation. Only the remote Nesbø-Vassbygdi region remains mostly undisturbed, if one ignores the strong reduction in the water flow in the Aurlandselvi and the visible stretch of highway between Berdalstunnellen (Berdal tunnel) and Nesbøtunnellen (Nesbø tunnel) visible in the hillside from the path at Heimrebø.
Aurlandsdalen