– This is not a bomb, but a completely familiar style from that side. You take action before it is formally decided, says reindeer owner Nils Mikkelsen Utsi. Utsi is the leader in reindeer herding district 22 Fiettar in Vest-Finnmark and will get a possible power line from Skaidi to Hammerfest in the middle of his grazing land. They have already lost land as a result of the line that runs from Alta to Skaidi. Now he is outraged that Statnett has started the tender process for who will continue to build the power line. It is happening before the government has formally decided whether the gas plant on Melkøya will be electrified. Because if Equinor’s gas plant is not to be electrified, then the line is redundant. Leader in reindeer herding district 22, Fiettar, Nils Mikkelsen Utsi, believes the construction of the power line to Hammerfest has clear parallels to the Fosen case. Photo: Gyda Katrine Hesla / news Discord within the government Kraftlinja also creates discord between the parties in the government. Last weekend, Finnmark Sp received a majority at the party’s national meeting to say no to the construction of the power line. SV’s new leader, Kirsti Bergstø, from Finland, came on the field shortly afterwards to say that the party is open to a discussion with the Center Party about the electrification of Melkøya. Finnmark Ap is pushing for more power to be developed in the north, but Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre repeated during his trip to Finnmark recently that nothing has been decided regarding the power line until they have processed the application from Equinor. Reindeer Utsi has little faith in this. – It is quite clear that here the state has decided that the line will be built, he says. Power line worth billions ends at crossroads in Finnmark Controversial electrification On 7 March, Statnett put out the tender for the construction work for the large 420 kV line which is planned to be extended from Skaidi to Hammerfest. The line has so far stretched from Balsfjord in Troms, and has ended in Skaidi in Vest-Finnmark. In December, Equinor made the announcement that everyone had expected: They will close down their own gas power plant and run the factory on Melkøya with electricity from the grid. It is highly contested. Businesses and residents fear a power deficit in the county and more expensive electricity. Those who do not welcome the line have had further trouble after the Fosen case, where the government has knelt to the cross and admitted to violations of human rights towards the Fosen Sámi. In the time since, the government has spoken warmly about how important it is to have dialogue and that you start the process at the right end. – This testifies to a leather process. Truls Gulowsen from the Nature Conservancy believes that what is happening in Finnmark testifies to a fake process. Photo: Ingrid Lindgaard Stranden That’s what the head of the Nature Conservation Association, Truls Gulowsen, says. He believes that what is now happening in Finnmark shows that they have not learned anything. – It seems as if, in a way, you only learn from previous experiences when you have to talk about it, but not when you have to carry out the processes, he says. Fears unnecessary work Kivijervi entrepreneur AS in Alta is one of the pre-qualified providers in the tender process. – We take the fact that they have put it out to tender as a clear signal that the line will be built, says general manager Eirik Kivijervi. General manager of Kivijervi entrepreneur AS, Eirik Kivijervi, believes it is unfortunate that the tender has been announced before the government has given the green light. Photo: Alf Harald Martinsen / news At the same time, he believes it is unfortunate that the formal approval is not available and that there is political doubt surrounding whether the Melkøya plant should be electrified. – It is awkward if Statnett plans for many providers to put a lot of work into calculating these extensive projects, if it is to be cancelled, says Kivijervi. He says that he hopes for a quick clarification, or that Statnett chooses to postpone the competition. – Another solution is for us providers to receive compensation for the time we have spent on the projects. It is an extensive job and talk about thousands of working hours, says the contractor. Morten Indbryn, project manager at Statnett for the controversial 420 kV line which is currently stretched from Balsfjord in Troms to Skaidi in Finnmark. Photo: Allan Klo / news Project manager at Statnett Morten Indbryn defends the process and says that this is normal procedure. – We enter the market before we get a license decision. It is to make the project ready, so that we are ready to start as soon as we possibly get the necessary permits, says Indbryn. – Are you more unsure whether the line will actually come after the discussions and what has happened recently? – We work based on what the OED (Ministry of Petroleum and Energy) decides. We will of course not start any work until the permits are in place, he says. No to sea cable In the light of the Fosen case, Gulowsen in the Nature Conservation Association believes that it is obvious that more involvement is needed and that the decisions are taken in the right order – based on updated impact assessments. – The power line between Skaidi and Hammerfest is based on very old impact assessments. It has now emerged that the consequences for reindeer husbandry are far greater than first thought, he says. Indbryn says that thorough impact assessments have been carried out both with regard to reindeer husbandry and other parties. – If the OED thinks we should carry out further investigations, we will of course do so, says the project manager. Nils Mikkelsen Utsi says that they have never opposed power development, but that they have been clear that they want a submarine cable. They have not been heard. A power line on land, as the state is proposing, will destroy their grazing land, claims Utsi. – We don’t have any more mountain peaks to consider. There is no more flexibility. Now we just have to try to keep our heads above water and not give up reindeer husbandry, he says. Nils Mikkelsen Utsi says they will fight to the end to preserve their areas. Photo: Erlend Hykkerud / news He believes the outcome could be a new Fosen case. – If the line comes ashore, it will be a new violation of international law. It is completely comparable to Fosen, says Utsi. Exactly how far they are willing to go to prevent the line, he is not sure. – But we will fight to the end. But in any case, he fears that the State will draw the long line. – This is David’s fight against Goliath. I fear they will push this through at any cost.
ttn-69
– New Fosen case – news Troms and Finnmark
