Politics, debates | It's time for more hydropower

boss This is a captain. The leader expresses the position of the newspaper.

Then finally came a report This indicates that the increase in electricity prices results in large profits in the funds owned by the public sector. Higher energy prices and high production of Norwegian hydropower ensured that Statkraft made an after-tax profit of NOK 5 billion in the third quarter, NTB reports.

for Statkraft We are talking about a third quarter result of NOK 4.6 billion. Compared to last year’s figures, we are talking about an impressive improvement of 3.5 billion kroner. Through Statkraft, the state owns 36 percent of the country’s hydroelectric power. Municipalities and county municipalities own about 52 percent, and municipal-owned enterprises must do as well as the state.

all autumn The public debate revolved around electricity prices, and about everyone who suffers from high energy prices. The other side of this is about new opportunities, about growing opportunities to invest in new and renewable energy.

high prices Increases the profitability of modernizing existing power plants, in order to get more power from already regulated waterways. But it could also take on new projects, or make it relevant to research on plans that were abandoned because the price of electricity was too low. It’s been seven years, for example, since the board of directors of Eidsiva Vannkraft and Gudbrandsdal Energi scrapped plans to build the Kåja power plant at Gudbrandsdalslågen in Finstra. It’s time to reconsider such plans.

It’s time to reconsider old plans

High prices and good profits It gives the hydropower industry the strength to increase the production of renewable energy. At the same time, something needs to be done with a tax system that taxes hydroelectric power stronger than oil, which, despite today’s high energy prices, makes investments uncertain in a slightly longer time perspective. The ball is first and foremost with the government, but municipalities and prefectures with strong interests in hydropower in the field must also come up with new initiatives.