In the oral question time at the Storting on Wednesday, Conservative politician Nikolai Astrup made a scathing criticism of the government’s energy policy. – The Prime Minister has recently stated that all stones must be turned over in the search for lower electricity prices. Under one of these stones he will hopefully find increased power production. Because that is where the main challenge lies, said Astrup from the podium. Astrup pointed to the government’s downscaling of the offshore wind projects Utsira nord and Sørlige Nordsjø II, and challenged Støre to see if he sees the seriousness of the power situation we now find ourselves in. – What rock was the Conservative Party under for 8 years? Støre asked back. – When we got to the government offices, very little had happened, he added. Støre pointed to a complete standstill in land-based wind power, years without a decision on solar power in housing associations, slow single-use progress and a lack of prioritization of offshore wind. – A new government, new vigor was needed to get out of the drowsy “under-the-stone existence” where Astrup and his party found themselves for far too many years, Støre said. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) believed that little had happened in the government offices before he came in. Photo: Javad Parsa / NTB Thinks it’s going too slowly Astrup thought Støre came up with an “interesting” story, and pointed to the Solberg government increasing power production by 16 TWh. – And the decisions the government has taken, it is active to scale down the two offshore wind projects that are furthest along the route, he said. – Our plan was to announce this last year. The government will publish it this year, but then with less than half the volume that the Solberg government had intended to publish, Astrup added. He wanted to know if the Prime Minister had plans to turn around. – This is not about turning around, it’s about building up from scratch, replied the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre during spontaneous question time in the Storting on Wednesday. Photo: Javad Parsa / NTB “Kraft rett i dass” Astrup also wanted to know what Støre thought about one of his own ministers actively opposing the government’s hydrogen investment. He showed Center Party minister Ola Borten Moe’s description of the government’s hydrogen investment as “power production straight to the point”, in a post on Facebook. Research and Higher Education Minister Ola Borten Moe (Sp). Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB – I live well with it, said Støre, who pointed out that we must tolerate democratic debate. – Having said that, I believe that my colleague in the government is wrong in the conclusion about hydrogen.
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– What rock was the Conservative Party under for 8 years? – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
