– We are lucky to have a municipality that supports us. They could have chosen not to give us a single kroner. I am thinking of those who live in the neighboring municipalities. They are probably a little envious, says Lunde. She and the family, who just had their fourth member, have tried to save electricity where possible, but electricity prices have been record high. Now they will get extra help from Suldal municipality. – It is a one-off grant of NOK 5,000 per household and NOK 3,000 per household member, explains partner Kristen Haug. For this family, that means NOK 14,000. Want to give back to the residents Minstemann came a little too late to apply as a household member, but the family is still satisfied with the support they receive. However, they do not stop with power saving. – We try to save, and not run the dishwasher and washing machine every day, but we have to live. We can’t stop washing clothes, says Benedicte Lunde. Suldal municipality has set aside a total of 19 million for the cash support. Mayor of Suldal, Gerd Helen Bø Photo: Håkon Mannsåker / news It will help the residents with their electricity bill for the next four months, and the payment will soon be on its way. – We have had higher incomes now because of the high electricity prices and we get license power which we sell. Then we thought we would give some of it back to the residents, says Mayor Gerd Helen Bø. Many want a fixed price But even if the residents will receive thousands of kroner in the future, not everyone is equally satisfied with the support. – It is a great compensation for us in Suldal. There are of course many people who would rather have a fixed price, but we say yes, thank you, says Astrid Erfjord Lillehammer, who lives in Suldal. – The money is great, but there are perhaps few people in the household with a big house, and it costs a lot to run, so that sum may not help everyone as much, says Suldølen’s Egil Aarthun. Instead of cash support, the Labor Party and the Conservative Party also wanted Kari Vaage Gjuvsland, a politician for the Labor Party. Photo: private fixed price scheme. – We wanted to give a fixed price so that it is predictable both for the common man on the street here, Hytte-Suldal and not least businesses. They are struggling a lot now, says Kari Vaage Gjuvsland (Ap). Can affect the motivation to save Mayor Bø, on the other hand, thinks that it is difficult to offer a fixed price. – We don’t know what our income will be, and there was also a bit of consideration for other municipalities that cannot offer the same. Energy analyst Tore Reier Lilleholdt believes that it can be a challenge that more people get cheaper electricity. Energy analyst Tor Reier Lilleholt believes that the electricity subsidy can affect people’s motivation to save. Photo: Asbjørn Odd Berge / news Then the motivation to save electricity can disappear. – It is clear that it will affect people’s attitude to saving electricity, which is important in the situation we have now. He also thinks that it creates a difference in the various municipalities where some have power income and others do not. – I have more sense that it could be aimed at business, for example, it will be important in the short term to save some business so that they do not go bankrupt, I think.
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