Ebbes kraftstation

About the museum

Ebbes kraftstation lies at Huskvarnafallen in Huskvarna, just below Ebbes bruk. The paper mill Munksjö AB bought the water rights in 1898 to supply electricity to the mill in Jönköping. Construction began in 1902 with Elektriska AB AEG in charge of building work, and the power station was completed in 1904. It was in operation from 1906 to 1969. The electricity was carried through a 12-kilometre, 10,000-volt line to the paper mill, which was made possible by the then new three-phase system. The power station had the fourth-largest exploited head of fall in Sweden, 43 metres, and its turbines were the largest ever made in the country up to that time. When Oscar II visited the works in 1905, it was the largest power station in Götaland.

Water was led through a 320-metre tunnel blasted through the rock, at the time Sweden’s longest rock tunnel for water transport. The machinery consisted of three Francis turbines with their generators. The building was designed by the architect Ernst Stenhammar and given red-brick facades with patterned brick bands; during a rebuild in 1947 it acquired a more functionalist look with a flat roof.

In 1963 ownership passed to Husqvarna Vapenfabrik, which built a new power station. The old one was left in place and preserved. It has never undergone any major modernisation and has largely the same machinery as at the beginning of the 20th century, which makes it one of the oldest and most unchanged large power stations of the first generation. Today the facility is a technical museum maintained by Hakarps Hembygdsförening (Hakarp local heritage society).

Highlights

• Almost untouched machinery from the early 20th century
• Three Francis turbines with generators, among the largest spiral turbines made in Sweden at the time
• Control room and switchgear in a building designed by Ernst Stenhammar
• 320-metre water tunnel through the rock
• The power station is often open during Fallens dag (Falls Day) in Huskvarna

Permanent exhibition

• Ebbes kraftstation – The preserved machine hall with turbines, generators, control room and switchgear from the power station’s operating years, 1906–1969.

Operated by

Hakarps Hembygdsförening

Admission & discounts

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Accessibility

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

The power station is at Huskvarnafallen, about 1.5 km upstream along the Huskvarnaån river from Huskvarna. From Ådalsvägen, Ebbesvägen leads to Vattenfallsvägen.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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