Groundbreaking ceremony for an ISK 30 billion project in frosty weather

The traditional first shovel to GeoSalmo’s fishing farm west of Þorlákshöfn was taken at the groundbreaking ceremony yesterday. Since the weather is at its coldest at this time of year, the guests were invited to a reception in the Ölfus town hall, where the groundbreaking ceremony was shown live.

It was the Minister of Infrastructure, Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, the Minister of Justice, Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, and GeoSalmo’s fish farming manager, Hreiðar Hreiðarsson who turned the first soil at the spot of the new production plant.

GeoSalmo plans to establish a production plant for 24 thousand tonnes of salmon in Ölfus, which will be built in stages and work has now begun on building the first stage, which will produce about 7,500 tonnes of salmon per year, Morgunbladid reports. THe estimated cost of the project is ISK 30 billion .

The company has already completed an environmental assessment and planning work for the farm. In addition, it has made a contract with Orka Náttúrunnar for 28 megawatts of electricity over a long period for all the development of the farm and its full operation.

“We have been preparing for this day for the last three years. Now the implementation begins and I think everyone can imagine how big a step this is for companies like us,” says Jens Þórðarson, CEO of GeoSalmo.