The Solberg government decided which sea areas companies could use to set up wind turbines. On 12 June 2020, the government decided that the areas Utsira nord and Sørlige North Sea II will be opened to applications for offshore wind. What did the government decide? The government’s decision on 12 June 2020 was relevant for many energy companies that want to operate offshore wind in Norway. The decision meant that it became possible for the companies to apply to start offshore wind projects in the Utsira Nord and Sørlige North Sea II areas. In the spring of 2021, among others, Equinor, RWE and Hydro entered into a collaboration to develop an offshore wind project in the Southern North Sea II. In the summer of 2023, it became known that Hydro is withdrawing from the offshore wind project, but Equinor and RWE continue their collaboration. The day before, Finnes bought 10,000 bull products, 10,000 shares and sold 9,000 bear products in the energy and aluminum company Hydro. The transactions were several hundreds of thousands. news has asked Finnes’ lawyer, Thomas Skjelbred, several questions about the deals and what information Sindre Finnes had. Skjelbred does not want to answer. – Refers to an earlier statement that we do not comment on individual trades, he writes in an email. Author of document Men Finnes was involved in the offshore wind case in several ways. In autumn 2019, Norsk Industri, for which Sindre Finnes works, wrote a letter to the Ministry of Oil and Energy with several suggestions. The letter said, among other things, that Norsk Industri supports the opening of Utsira Nord. “We recommend that you also open the Southern North Sea, as it is important to get started on a larger scale,” the letter said. Sindre Finnes is the author of the document, shows the characteristics of the document (see the picture below). Sindre Finnes is the author of the consultation response Norsk Industri sent to the Ministry of Oil and Energy. Photo: Screenshot Nevertheless, managing director Stein Lier-Hansen of Norsk Industri believes that Finnes was little involved in the case. – The fact that Sindre Finnes is listed as “author” means that he created the document, but it has been shared with many people in the organization so that more people could collaborate on the answer, he writes in an e-mail to news. Conservative leader Erna Solberg was not aware that Finnes was listed as the author of a consultation document. – But I am not surprised if he has contributed to such a document. This is a completely natural part of Sindre’s job, she writes in an email to news. Solberg: – Sindre has not had an occupational ban – What do you think about Finnes being the author of the consultation document? – That it is perfectly fine if he has contributed to writing a document. Sindre has for many years, since long before I became prime minister, worked with business policy in Norwegian Industry. He was still going to do that after I became prime minister, but we agreed that it was most orderly that he himself should not have direct contact with the ministries and subordinate agencies, she writes, and continues: – That he has contributed as an author on a document that was prepared at his job is not inconsistent with what he could do. Sindre has not had an occupational ban. – Should you have been disqualified in this case, because Finnes made input in the hearing? – It is Norwegian Industry that has come forward with input. The fact that Sindre works for Norsk Industri is in no way a sufficient bond for me to declare myself ineligible in any case they have opinions about, writes Solberg. – Should you have been disqualified in this case, because Finnes bought 10,000 bull products the day before the government made a decision? – Not in a case that concerns the opening of areas for offshore wind. More generally, I said at the press conference I held on Friday 15 September that I would declare myself ineligible in all matters that have sufficient importance for or particularly affect Hydro, if I knew what I know now about Sindre’s share trading, writes Solberg. She emphasizes that because she did not know the full extent of the share trading, the decisions are valid because she was unaware of what made her incompetent. Solberg refers to the legal department’s assessment in the Anniken Huitfeldt case. Don’t know what matters Finnes worked with Hydro put aside the plans for Sørlige Nordsjø II this summer. news has also asked Lier-Hansen what other political matters Finnes was involved in on behalf of Norsk Industri while Solberg was prime minister. Norsk Industri has no overview of this. – It is demanding for us to have an overall overview of how many and which cases are involved over such a long period of time, writes Lie-Hansen. Stein Lier-Hansen in Norsk Industri is the boss of Sindre Finnes and one of the most powerful in the employers’ organization NHO. Photo: news He also writes: – In any case, Sindre Finnes is not the one who has decided what kind of positions Norsk Industri has taken in various matters, it is always the management that does that.
ttn-69
Solberg opened offshore wind fields – Finnes worked with lobbying and hoarded shares – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
