Taxes and state ownership ensure that the shock prices for electricity provide staggering extra income for the state and municipality. The extra income from electricity prices dropping to 40 øre per kilowatt hour was NOK 62 billion last year, according to Fornybar Norge. It is an NHO organization that is financed by power producers. A total of NOK 40 billion went back to people and businesses. The gap of NOK 22 billion should not be there, says Fornybar Norge head Åslaug Haga. – We think it would be wise when the state receives extraordinary income, in an area that is so fundamentally important to people, that you show that you give the income back so that the electricity expenses can be reduced in the long term, she tells news. Want tax cuts Haga is a former leader of the Center Party, and was one of the instigators for Norway to develop more power and trade more electricity with foreign countries. Since 2008, the Norwegian power market has been linked to the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain. The price for the current is seen on the Nordpool stock exchange based on what the most expensive energy source in the mix costs. Electricity from gas-fired power plants in Europe raises electricity prices in Norway. While water power cost 12 øre per kilowatt hour to produce, the electricity price ended up at an average of 194 øre last year, according to Nordpool. The electricity subsidy starts when the electricity price exceeds 70 øre. The limit is seen to be over twice as high as the price for electricity in the last ten years before the energy crisis started. Haga asks the government to help consumers with money for electricity-saving measures, and to give money to struggling companies. – In the long term, we want the consumption of electricity to increase, because half of the energy we use today is fossil. Now we have to do the right things: Produce more renewable energy to reduce prices, and encourage people to save energy, she says. The government has already cut the electricity tax from 15.4 øre per kilowatt hour to 9.1 øre at the end of March. Haga believes the government can afford to remove the tax entirely, which will also benefit businesses. – The state must do its part to reduce taxes. – A lot spent on electricity subsidies Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland (Ap) explains that the income from natural resources has always been used for other purposes, such as health and welfare. – What we have been preoccupied with is having good electricity support to reduce household bills. It has been strengthened and expanded all along, he says to news. In addition, the government will come up with a plan for how people and businesses can save electricity with help from the state. Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland (Ap). Photo: Beate Oma Dahle / NTB – How will you explain to people that no more will be spent on electricity support? – We spend a lot on power support. We are transferring around DKK 40 billion for 2022. We are busy with good current support.
ttn-69
Asks Vedum to “give back” 22 billion in power income to people – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
