Vattenfall invests SEK 1 billion per year in hydro power maintenance. A major project has been under way since 2015 to upgrade the power plants and raise their output and flexibility.

By 2023, hydro power will have been expanded by 600 MW without a single new dam being built. This is equivalent to the output of half a nuclear power plant, or roughly 100 modern wind turbines, and is a significant contribution to Sweden’s climate goals and Vattenfall’s goal of enabling fossil-free living within one generation. However, the primary purpose is to improve the ability to respond faster to changes in the need for generation, rather than to generate more electrical power. Around 20 power plants have already been upgraded in various ways, increasing the available output by around 450 MW. Vattenfall owns around 100 HPP in Sweden, with a total output of approximately 8,700 MW.