– Up to 80 new jobs – E24

The government promises to provide funds for more NVE case managers, among other things. – We must reduce processing time both online and in production, says Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland (AFP).

Aasland reveals that the government will allocate NOK 135 million to speed up licensing processes for power lines and power generation.

The money will go, among other things, to several case managers at the Norwegian Directorate of Water Resources and Energy (NVE) and the Ministry of Oil and Energy, he told E24.

We are now spending 135 million to strengthen energy management and make it more modern. This means more people and increased digitization, Aasland says.

– Now there will be up to 80 new positions in the administration. It is an important resource, and people are needed to carry out these important processes. We are also investing money in digitalisation. He says this leads to modernization of energy management.

– Not fake

There is currently an ongoing battle over internet access, energy for new industries and climate reduction. Many players submit requests to the authorities to increase electricity consumption.

For example, Yara wants to cut 800,000 tons per year at its ammonia plant in Porsgrunn, while the government recently granted Equinor permission to replace gas power with clean electricity and cut 850,000 tons per year at its LNG plant in Hammerfest.

These projects require about 2-3 percent of Norway’s energy consumption each. New power lines and increased energy production will soon be needed.

Frp and Ap have previously argued that the blame for Norway’s energy surplus is on the way out and that electricity prices are likely to remain high. Aasland comes with a heavy blow to the previous government.

We received an energy administration that was not equipped to face the challenges. We updated this year, and now we are strengthening the management even more, he says.

Last year the government launched 165 million To enhance energy powers.

NVE handles several situations

It is NVE that grants licenses for power lines and power plants, while the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy makes the final decision if someone complains about these cases. Processes often take a long time.

• It typically takes 7 to 14 years to build a power line, according to NVE
• According to NVE, it usually takes 6 to 7 years from the time a notification is sent about a wind power plant until it is put into operation

Aasland points out that NVE It has been given 122 new permits for electrical installations in the period from January to May of this year, and many more permits were granted for power lines this year compared to the previous year.

More license applications are being received than ever before. According to NVE, it could be soon The waiting period is 7-10 months Just to get a case manager.

– Increased resources mean that things go faster and that you can perform the operations you need in a convenient way. Many people are interested in new energy systems, and there are often objections. The minister says that thanks to the capabilities we are building now, this will happen quickly and efficiently.

-We must reduce processing time both online and in production. When an industry wants to switch from fossil fuels to renewables, grid development should actually take place almost in parallel with the investment decision. It’s a huge task.

– Resources across the country

When the government granted Equinor permission to electrify the LNG terminal at Melkøya in Finnmark, it also promised to prioritize Finnmark’s energy licensing and grid operations. This was also confirmed by NVE.

Parts of the opposition Feels anxious To set Finnmark’s priorities to influence the processing of what they consider to be essential power lines elsewhere, such as in western Norway.

– Is there now room for both?

– This is, among other things, in response. This means we get more resources across the country. Statnett has been clear that removing licenses in Finnmark will free up capacity for projects across the country, says Aasland.

– For energy management, this helps show that the government is prioritizing enhancing processes so that they become faster, better and can contribute to more energy access, grids and energy efficiency, he says.

– How are positions distributed?

– Most of the functions will be for NVE. This applies to case processing capacity. New analytical capabilities are needed, and detailed plans and new market models must be worked on. Funds are also being allocated to regulatory development and work on offshore wind impact assessments, Aasland says.