The disputed foreign cables connect the Norwegian and European electricity markets. They lead to Norwegian electricity prices becoming more similar to European prices. – We were never supposed to build the last two cables to Germany and England, Moxnes began. – Here you have the old woman against the free flow of the current, Bergstø followed up. Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) did not directly answer whether he is for or against the cables. – We cannot build more foreign cables now, says Vedum. He says he would not have voted to build the overseas cables if he had known what we know today. However, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) believes that the power cables to foreign countries have served Norway well. He calls the current crisis an extreme situation: – We cannot plan based on the extreme. When electricity prices go up like this, we have to come to the aid of electricity customers, he says. Nor does Høyre leader Erna Solberg think the cables are a mistake. – We have a power system that we changed over 30 years ago, at that time it was the SP minister who was responsible. It has given us more electricity, despite low prices. We would have less electricity if we didn’t have the cables, she said. Debate leader Fredrik Solvang will take up the discussion about better exchange of electricity between Northern Norway – which has low prices – and Southern Norway, which is experiencing record high electricity prices. There must also be a number of parties’ demands for a maximum price for electricity. Støre has expressed considerable skepticism about introducing a maximum price. He fears that a ceiling on the price of electricity could lead to Norwegians not saving on electricity. The heated discussion of recent weeks about electricity support for Norwegian companies is also taken up. The opposition in Parliament has demanded that the government quickly come up with a scheme to help businesses that are struggling. The government has warned against hastily introducing measures that could turn out to be unfortunate, but is now coming forward with proposals for support in September. Intensive work is currently underway between the government, LO and NHO to put an arrangement in place. A support scheme for households is already in place. It ensures that from 1 September the state covers 90 per cent of the bill when the electricity price exceeds 70 øre plus VAT. Previously, the state took 80 percent of the price. Both Rødt, KrF and Frp want a maximum price for electricity. The latter two want the maximum price to be set at 50 øre, so that you will not pay more than 50 øre per kilowatt hour regardless of what the electricity price is.
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Watch the autumn’s big electricity debate now – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
