The Labor Party and the Center Party say no to the Conservatives and the Green Party’s proposal for “gentle development of hydropower in protected watercourses where we can increase the production of power without it being at the particular cost of nature and environmental considerations”. It is clear after the so-called energy report was handed down in the Storting last week. – I am surprised and disappointed that the Center Party and the Labor Party vote against something they have previously signaled that they are for, says Olve Grotle (H), who represents Sogn og Fjordane in the Storting. He refers to the ravages of the Flåm River in 2014 and how “prudent power development”, “minimal reduction of conservation values” and better flood protection can go hand in hand. – I do not know what has happened in the Labor and Social Democrats since last winter. What is certain is that people in Flåm have wart taparane, he says. FLÅMSELVA IN 2014: A river current of 120,000 liters of water per second threatens life and health, demolished three houses, and made it necessary to evacuate 143 people. Photo: Noralv Distad Apparent majority to revise the protection Last year, the FRP and Sp, as the only ones in the Storting, voted in favor of a proposal to open protected watercourses for power development. At the top of it, the Labor Party and the Conservatives signaled in January that they were open to a less religious and more flexible approach to watercourse protection. – In connection with the energy commission, it will be natural to see if it is possible to expand more of what has been protected, said Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Aasland (Labor) to Klassekampen. Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide (Labor Party) acknowledged that the country must prepare for “painful and difficult” assessments, but added “on that list I think that challenging previous protection decisions should be quite far down”. Behind the discussions about how “holy” the Norwegian watercourse protection should be are questions about the danger of flooding, green conversion and a scenario for a power deficit. Today, 394 Norwegian watercourses are protected. – The protection plans are often several decades old, and new technology has been developed since then, said Nikolai Astrup (H). This winter, he presented a list of ten watercourses he wanted to “protect”. Eight of the ten rivers are in Vestland county (see graphic at the bottom of the case). The drawer over the “turning operation” SV, which is the budget partner of the Labor Party and the Socialist People’s Party, is categorically against firing on the watercourse protection. Energy policy spokesman in the FRP, Terje Halleland, is disappointed with the “turnaround operation” of the two government parties, and points out that increased hydropower production is necessary until 2030. – The government is failing in the area that could have given Norway lower prices for power. Instead, they talk about lofty plans for offshore wind and wind on land that lie many years ahead, he says. NVE has calculated the power potential of “gentle development” of protected watercourses, and estimated this at 5 TWh. NVE director Kjetil Lund has previously said that “there is hardly much power to be found in protected watercourses without going into the tenderloin of Norwegian nature”. ON TERMS: – Flaum and flaumdemping should only come into play where the conservation values are fixed, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Photo: Torstein Bøe / NTB – Only life and health are at stake Marianne Sivertsen Næss is an energy and environmental policy spokesperson in the Labor Party, and chairs the Storting’s energy and environment committee. – For us, it is not relevant with new development of hydropower in protected watercourses. What we have said is that measures should only be allowed in protected watercourses to prevent flooding where life and health are at stake and where the measure does not conflict with the conservation values, she says. She adds that “it is important for us to emphasize that other flume prevention measures must first be worked out”. – Expanding protected watercourses has major negative consequences for biodiversity. Then it is more relevant to expand other forms of renewable energy, initiate a large-scale investment in offshore wind and invest significantly in energy efficiency.
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The Storting will nevertheless protect the watercourse – news Vestland
