After losses in the hundreds of millions over several years, Equinor decided in 2017 to shut down the controversial gas power plant at Mongstad, which has been in operation since 2010. But the shutdown has been postponed time and time again, and lately the loss of Russian gas and questions about the supply situation increased pressure to extend lifespan. Statnett assesses that there is “up to a 20 percent probability” of power rationing for the winter, and in June they sent a letter to Equinor asking whether it is still expedient to shut down the gas power plant at Mongstad as planned. – The supply situation is strained. Then it is unfortunate that a major producer disconnects, explained director of Statnett, Peer Olav Østli, to the magazine Energiteknikk. Norsk Industri and Mongstad Industripark have also requested that the power plant be allowed to stand with reference to the strained energy situation. Mongstad’s history The oil refinery was put into operation in 1975 by Statoil. Mongstad is a former rural area with farms that has now been developed into an industrial site. Located in Nordhordland in the municipalities of Lindås and Austrheim. Mongstad is now best known for Statoil’s oil refinery, and Mongstad base, which is Norway’s largest supply base. The Mongstad area currently has 3,000 jobs spread across around 100 different businesses. Statoil’s Mongstad operations employ approx. 1,000 people. The refinery has a capacity of 12 million tonnes of crude oil per year. The crude oil terminal has a storage capacity of 9.5 million barrels. The port facility is Norway’s largest in terms of tonnage and Europe’s largest oil port after Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The area also has an LPG processing plant (Vestprosess). Here are some of the most important suppliers: Frank Mohn Mongstad AS PSW Group AS Caverion AS Baker, Haliburton Deep Sea Mooring IOS Intermoor Norsk Gjenvinning West Piping AS Source: Wikipedia/Statoil – The timing couldn’t have been worse On Wednesday the opposition to shutting down the gas power plant got further force when the trio Bergen nårningsråd, Nordhordland nårneslag and Vestland mayor Jon Askeland (Sp) in a joint initiative asked oil and energy minister Terje Aasland (Ap) to intervene. – The timing for the dismantling of the gas power plant at Mongstad could not have been worse, says leader of the Nordhordland business association, Baste Tveito, to Avisa Nordhordland. He clarifies that responsibility for Norwegian energy policy rests with the minister, and not with Equinor. Equinor has so far replied that “no one else has expressed an interest in helping to contribute financially to maintaining the operation of the gas turbines”. There is hope in that formulation, says county mayor in Vestland, Jon Askeland (Sp). – It indicates that they are willing to extend the operation if they are reimbursed for the cost. Now it is up to the government to act so that businesses and residents have electricity for the winter. On Wednesday morning, Equinor CEO Anders Opedal told NTB that it is “not our job to secure the power backup in Norway”. Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland (Ap) received letters from several people on Wednesday urging them to intervene. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB – The gas power plant at Mongstad should remain in a transition phase Irene Meldal, Statnett – We assess the power situation as tight in the whole of southern Norway. With reservoir filling still low in the region and the risk that imports may be conspicuous by their absence as a result of the European energy situation, it would be useful to have access to the natural gas power plant at Mongstad throughout the winter. Therefore, we have previously asked Equinor to maintain the operation of the power production at Mongstad. Ove Trellevik, Høgre – The gas power plant at Mongstad should remain in a transitional phase until we get a better balance in supply and demand for power again, but then the government must of course pay Equinor to keep the gas power plant on standby. – Backwards that we are discussing saving a gas power plant Sofie Marhaug (Raudt) in the Energy and Environment Committee at the Storting says “the solution must be to keep more of the clean power, not prolong the desire for fossil energy”. – It is completely backwards that we have put ourselves in a position where we are discussing saving a gas power plant at the same time that we are unable to prevent exports in periods of low reservoir filling, she says. On Wednesday, Equinor presented operating figures equivalent to NOK 170 billion. The result is described as “solid” and “strong”. FRP leader Sylvi Listhaug says it is “against common sense” to shut down the gas power plant and calls it “a paradox” that Equinor has large surpluses due to energy prices and at the same time maintains that it is too expensive to operate the gas power plant at Mongstad. – It is natural that Equinor is involved in taking responsibility for ensuring emergency preparedness in Norway, she says. FRP leader Sylvi Listhaug says it is “against common sense” to shut down the gas power plant. Photo: William Jobling / news – Should be in operation until after next winter Nikolai Astrup is the energy policy spokesperson in Høgre. – In the situation we are in now, with the risk of power rationing until winter, this is completely the wrong time to take out a 150 MW gas turbine in an area with a strained supply situation, he says. He adds: – The gas power plant will be phased out, but it should at least be in operation until after next winter. A new assessment can then be made. It costs money to operate a gas power plant, but disconnection and rationing also have a high cost.
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The energy crisis increases the pressure to extend the life of the gas power plant at Mongstad – news Vestland
