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Frp Fears Power Crisis, Party Leader Opens Door to Gas Power Plants
🇳🇴 Norway /Energy & Infrastructure

Frp Fears Power Crisis, Party Leader Opens Door to Gas Power Plants

From Aftenposten · () Norwegian

Translated from Norwegian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The Progress Party (Frp) in Norway warns of a potential power crisis and advocates for building gas power plants to secure domestic energy.
  • The party argues Norway should utilize its own gas resources to provide cheap electricity for Norwegian industry, rather than exporting it.
  • Frp proposes using existing infrastructure and suggests gas power could be a supplement to hydropower, without CO2 capture requirements.

Norway's Progress Party (Frp) is sounding the alarm over the country's energy situation, warning of a looming power deficit and proposing the construction of gas power plants to avert a crisis. The party argues that the government is failing to secure sufficient new power sources, leading to reliance on imported European energy.

The government is failing to secure enough new power, and we are importing European power deficits.

— Kristoffer SivertsenExpressing concern over Norway's current energy situation.

"We are concerned that the situation we have seen in Northern Norway, where industry cannot get power, will spread to the rest of the country," said Frp's energy spokesperson Kristoffer Sivertsen. He believes Norway, as an energy superpower, should leverage its own gas resources to ensure affordable electricity for domestic industries, thereby maintaining a competitive advantage.

We are concerned that the situation we have seen in Northern Norway, where industry cannot get power, shall spread to the rest of the country.

— Kristoffer SivertsenHighlighting the potential impact of power shortages on industries nationwide.

Sivertsen suggested that existing infrastructure, particularly in the Kårstø region and Nord-Jæren, could be utilized for new gas power plants. He dismissed concerns about financing, stating that the party does not want to provide subsidies but rather clear policy signals to encourage private investment. Frp also advocates for reducing what they call "symbolic climate policies," such as electrifying ferries and trucks, and subsidizing offshore wind.

Norwegian gas contributes to building industry and creating jobs in Europe. Then the question is: Why can't we use our gas to do exactly the same in Norway?

— Kristoffer SivertsenQuestioning the logic of exporting gas while facing domestic energy concerns.

Historically, gas power plants have been a contentious issue in Norway. Frp's current stance includes allowing gas power plants without mandatory carbon capture and storage, citing prohibitive costs. While acknowledging that hydropower remains the backbone of Norway's energy system, the party sees gas as a necessary supplement to meet industrial and corporate demand.

There is infrastructure in the sea from Kårstø over to Nord-Jæren that is ready for use.

— Kristoffer SivertsenPointing to existing infrastructure suitable for new gas power plants.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Aftenposten in Norwegian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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