Harsh Climate, Difficult Geology Temper Pace of Work
Iceland may be a wealthy, developed country but its remoteness and harsh highland climate demand serious pioneering skills from builders of the Kárahnjúkar hydro project. Setting up camp before the first biting winter was the Italian main contractor’s initial priority. With two-thirds of tunneling complete, the goal now is preventing further program slippage.
“I’ve worked in Inner Mongolia at minus 35° F but that was nothing. There was no wind,” says Gianni Porta, project manager with main contractor Impregilo S.p.A., Milan. For much of the year, arctic temperatures are aggravated by winds reaching 170 kilometers per hour.