– Several municipalities receive over 30 inquiries a day from cottage owners who wonder how they can get electricity support, says Kirsti Kierulf. She is managing director of the interest organization Norsk Kommunalteknisk Forening (NKF). Kierulf says that the number of inquiries has exploded after NVE published a notice that those who have received a dispensation from the municipality to live permanently in the holiday home can receive electricity support. It is NVE (Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate) that administers the electricity support scheme. Interpreting the regulations differently When news started investigating the case, it quickly became clear that there is complete confusion about which rules apply. Municipalities news has spoken to interpret the regulations differently. Kierulf in NKF interprets the rules to the effect that if you are to receive electricity support for the cabin, it must be registered as a primary or secondary residence. It sets requirements, which can be about size, road, renovation and drainage. These vary from municipality to municipality. Kierulf says there is now a lot of confusion both in municipalities and among cabin owners about which rules apply. Kirsti Kierulf is managing director of the Norwegian Municipal Technical Association, which is an interest organization for municipalities within technical services. Photo: Privat A “valve” in the scheme Section manager Torfinn Jonassen in NVE says that, on the other hand, they have opened up the fact that it is not necessary to change use in order to receive electricity support. – Municipalities can in some cases grant a dispensation from living permanently in a holiday home. They may have a strict or less strict practice on this. We don’t get involved in it, says Jonassen. He adds that this should be a “valve” in the scheme. – In some cases, there may be good reasons for someone to be exempted from living in a holiday home temporarily, but it is not intended that anyone can report moving to the holiday home. What could be good reasons for getting a dispensation? – Unfortunately, I do not have anything precise about what the municipalities use as criteria. It is up to them to assess which criteria should be used as a basis. Won’t this be a lot of work for the municipalities? – They can commit to a practice of strict enforcement of this. There will be extra work, but the electricity support will help people in a demanding situation. People who receive a dispensation from the municipality must submit this to the network company in order to be granted electricity support. Kirsti Kierulf in the Norwegian Municipal Technical Association has the following to say about NVE’s statements: – After the answer that NVE gives here, we want a dialogue in order to be able to get clarity on which regulations any dispensation should be granted from. Hemsedal municipality sees a trend in which many cabin owners get in touch to seek a change of use of the cabin. Photo: Caroline Utti / news It is not enough to change the population register news has called several cottage municipalities in Norway. What practice they have varies… Drangedal municipality has received many calls from cabin owners in Gautefall and Tokke. – Many people think that by having a registered address at the cottage, they are qualified to receive electricity support, but this is not the case, says adviser Mona Stenberg Straume. The municipality allows people to live in the cabins, but has not allowed for a change of use in the cabin fields. They only get a temporary dispensation to live in the cabin. Straume says that around 15 cabin owners have had their holiday homes converted into homes in recent years. – This is dealt with politically and is an extensive planning process. Many applications in Hemsedal In the cottage municipality of Hemsedal, there has been a large increase in applications for a change of use from a holiday home to a residence. – The increase has multiplied. We clearly see a trend, says Anders Bakke, who heads planning and development in Hemsedal municipality. Is it difficult to get such applications approved in your municipality? – The rules are a bit complicated in this area. We try to make it practical and feasible. The municipality has said that it welcomes this type of application, says Bakke.
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Cottage municipalities are called down – complete confusion about electricity support – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
