Norges Hytteforbund has engaged lawyers to assess whether they can take civil action against the state. The background is that the government provides electricity support to households, but not to cabins. – We are the only housing estates that do not receive electricity support, says Trond Hagen, who is chairman of the Norwegian Cottage Association. He has previously argued that “the cabin is part of the household” and should therefore be covered by the electricity subsidy. From 1 September, the electricity subsidy will be increased from 80 to 90 per cent when the spot price is over 70 øre per kilowatt hour. But around half a million cabins in Norway are still not included in the scheme. The pandemic has led to Norwegian cabins and “holiday homes” being used more than before, and the political question is to what extent these overnight accommodations are “part of the household” (as Hagen says) or whether they represent a form of “luxury consumption” as the state shall not subsidize. – Very, very unfair The interest organization Norsk Hyttelag represents around 10,000 cabin owners. They support Norway’s cottage association in principle, but believe that a lawsuit is not the way to go. – We would rather have an understanding that this is very, very unfair, says general secretary Audun Bringsvor. news has previously written about cabin owners who move permanently to the cabin in order to be entitled to electricity support. Norges Hytteforbund highlights a number of laws that they want to investigate whether the state has breached: Waterfall Rights Act Watercourse Regulation Act Price Ceilings Act Energy Act Agreements Act In addition, they will investigate whether there has been a breach of regulations and the EEA Agreement. Statistics Norway has analyzed the cabin owners who bought a cabin in 2013, and found that these have a significantly higher income than the average. – If you can afford a cabin, shouldn’t you also be able to afford electricity? – Yes, but everything within reasonable limits, the same applies to houses, says Hagen. No fewer visitors In Myrkdalen on Voss there are cabins up towards the ski resort. Hyttegrenda is in one of the most expensive price areas (NO5). But mayor of Voss herad Hans-Erik Ringkjøb thinks that the scheme works as it is: – I don’t think there is any basis for extending the scheme to holiday homes, says Ringkjøb. The Norwegian Cabin Association believes that the high electricity prices will mean that the cabin people will no longer be able to afford to stay in the cabin, and that trade will increase in the typical cabin municipalities. Voss mayor Ringkjøb hopes that they will still make the trip. – I hope that the cabin owners will make a trip to the cabins, despite the high electricity price, and rather reduce consumption elsewhere, he says. Trysil is one of Norway’s most popular cottage municipalities. According to the mayor, new cabins are being built like never before in the municipality. Photo: Lise Åserud With 6,530 cabins in the municipality, Trysil can boast the second most in the country, only beaten by Ringsaker with 6,981. – I have not noticed that there have been fewer visits or less interest in cabins, says Erik Sletten, mayor of Trysil . Sletten thinks it is difficult to create a fair system, but says that industry must come before holiday homes. – It is more important to find good solutions for the industry that are targeted and fair, says Sletten. Divided views in the energy committee – The Liberals are not in favor of introducing a power subsidy scheme for holiday homes, says Ola Elvestuen, in the energy and environment committee at the Storting. He gets support from Ove Trellevik in Høgre: – I don’t think there is room to prioritize cabins and holiday homes in this round that is now coming. But not all members of the committee will distinguish between households. Sofie Marhaug in Raudt does not think the current system is working as it should. She wants to use the Price Measures Act to set a fixed maximum price for electricity. – Raudt’s proposal on the maximum price applies to all customers in Norway, it does not differentiate between holiday homes and other homes.
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