Travel Photo 329510

Jul 24, 2025 9:00am

This is the Vemork Hydro Plant, the location of a famous sabotage raid by the allies during WWII. The plant originally was constructed to make fertilizer. The power plant produced DC which was used in the manufacture process. By accident it was found that a small amount of deuterium (D2O), or heavy water, was produced but over time enough could be collected to produce enough for an atomic reaction including weapon. The Nazis took control of Norway early in the war and started accumulating heavy water. The allies learned of this and planned a sabotage raid involving British SOE and Norwegian soldiers. After an initial failed attempt by the British a small Norwegian raiding party successfully scaled the snowy banks in February 1943 avoiding German guards and mines and set charges, blowing up the current supply of heavy water. They successfully escaped along with a handful of support personnel and skied to neutral Sweden. (Photo by Janessa Jean)