David received an electricity bill of over 10,000 – after electricity support

FROGNER (VG) David Kuldager (45) owes more than ten thousand kroner after the electricity subsidy – for the electricity the family used in December.

– I think a lot. I am frustrated because I feel that the government is not getting what it says we will get – that is 90 percent over 70 øre. I think we are being cheated, says Guldakar.

Often when it is very expensive

Most people use more electricity when electricity is most expensive – when it’s cold outside, and when demand is high – for example “everybody” I am going to cook dinner.

But support has not increased accordingly. Support is calculated not based on what you actually pay for electricity, but based on it Average Monthly spot price In the price range where you live.

After Pinposton When they looked at several specific electricity bills for November, they found that in practice the electricity subsidy was roughly 70 percent, not 90 percent of the average price above 70 øre.

This was also the case under Prime Minister Jonas Karstor said The electricity subsidy “provides insurance when the price goes above 70 øre, then 90 percent support”.

If you do not live in Northern Norway, you must also pay VAT of 25 percent on your electricity bill. The electricity subsidy increases accordingly so that you don’t have to pay VAT on the bill covered by the state. But in practice, this means that the electricity subsidy only kicks in when the spot price – including VAT – crosses 87.5 øre.

The forces within the LO and government parties are accordingly NRK It has long been argued that the electricity subsidy scheme for households should be overhauled.

– The higher the average price, the higher the electricity subsidy. But whether we can make it more relevant, we are now looking and evaluating,” Oil and Energy Minister Terje Ösland (AP) told NRK on Wednesday.

Real consumption should be supported

– We get very little electricity support. Why can’t we calculate the electricity bill based on our actual usage instead of the average for the entire month? David Guldaker asks.

An optician and his partner in Lilleström municipality outside Oslo pay NOK 10,615 to keep their detached house of about 200 square meters warm during Christmas. They then receive an electricity subsidy of NOK 11,176.

The first half of December was cold in southern Norway and correspondingly high electricity prices. Prices fell in the second half due to moderate weather. As a result, the average price for the entire month – from which the electricity subsidy is calculated – has fallen. But people use more electricity in winter.

A family of two adults and three children used 5,467 kilowatt hours in December. But they don’t have it too hot. Underfloor heating is usually set at 17 degrees. The house, which dates back to 2008, has regular ventilation and a fireplace. The heating in all the rooms can be controlled with an app on the mobile phone.

Guldakar and the roommate have an apartment downstairs that they could rent out, but for now the family doesn’t dare to do so because the electricity for this goes through a common electricity meter for the whole house.

– It can be very expensive. Electricity costs NOK 4 per kilowatt hour and if tenants use 2,000 kWh per month, we pay NOK 8,000 for electricity. And then that doesn’t help with NOK 11,000 in rental income, says the 45-year-old.

So the apartment is vacant due to water damage in April, although the damage has been repaired.

The family burns a lot in the fireplace, and Guldakar proudly says that in October 2021 he was able to buy a ton of firewood for NOK 1,200.

In the same year, he spent NOK 40,000 to replace almost all the lights with LED lights.

– He says that we are doing our best to reduce electricity consumption and we have reduced it significantly. But during the cold winter months, the house still draws 5,000 kilowatt-hours per month.

– It’s not that we can’t pay, it’s that the price is high and what we said is not available is the policy, electricity subsidy and 90 percent, he says.

– How long do you have to pay NOK 10,000 per month?

IN VG’s current specialty You can follow hour by hour electricity price where you live.