DistantNews
Support us
Norway sounds alarm over power development: "We must see an increase"
🇳🇴 Norway /Energy & Infrastructure

Norway sounds alarm over power development: "We must see an increase"

From Aftenposten · () Norwegian

Translated from Norwegian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Norway faces a growing electricity deficit as demand increases with industrial electrification and transport changes.
  • Statkraft CEO Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal warns that current slow development processes mean decisions made today will impact power availability for decades.
  • Industry leaders express concern that insufficient power generation could harm Norway's industrial competitiveness and deter new investments.

Norway is grappling with a looming electricity shortage, a concern amplified by the nation's ambitious plans for industrial electrification and a shift away from fossil fuels in transportation. Statkraft CEO Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal sounded the alarm, highlighting that the pace of new power generation projects is too slow to meet future demand.

It's urgent in the sense that these are long processes. The decisions we make today have consequences both ten and twenty years into the future.

— Birgitte Ringstad VartdalStatkraft CEO Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal on the urgency of developing new power generation.

"It's urgent in the sense that these are long processes. The decisions we make today have consequences both ten and twenty years into the future," Vartdal stated. She pointed out that while Norway currently has a power surplus in normal years, this situation is unsustainable. The development of a single wind power project can take seven to ten years, a timeline that clashes with the rapidly growing energy needs.

Without electricity, Norway stops.

— Ole Erik AlmlidNHO CEO Ole Erik Almlid on the critical need for electricity for Norwegian businesses.

Statkraft, a major supplier of power agreements to Norwegian industry, recently secured significant deals with companies like Hydro, Elkem, and Alcoa, totaling 18 terawatt-hours. However, Vartdal cautioned that without increased power generation, the competitiveness of existing industries could suffer, potentially leading to stalled operations or a reluctance to invest further in Norway. This sentiment is echoed by NHO CEO Ole Erik Almlid, who stressed, "Without electricity, Norway stops." He noted that industrial projects are already being delayed due to a lack of power and grid capacity.

We have to see an increase in power production to cover that consumption.

— Birgitte Ringstad VartdalStatkraft CEO on the necessity of boosting power output to meet future needs.

Statkraft itself is committed to expanding its capacity, announcing an investment of 80 billion kroner in projects across the country over the next decade, an increase from previous estimates. "We have to see an increase in power production to cover that consumption," Vartdal asserted. "If we as a nation do not build out power, we will not be able to attract new industry."

If we as a nation do not build out power, we will not be able to attract new industry.

— Birgitte Ringstad VartdalStatkraft CEO on the link between power infrastructure and attracting new businesses.
DistantNews Editorial

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

More Stories

From Our Blog