Storage reps are no longer allowed to charge for free on the job. They are not the only ones who have lost this advantage.
Despite last week’s price drop, “everyone” is starting their own electricity-saving measures in an age of electricity crunch. The temperature in Oslo municipality’s bathroom has dropped by one degree. Storting announced last month that it was closing its sauna.
Now many electric car owners, public servants and elected officials are losing their electric fringe benefits.
In early November, it became known University of Oslo Employees will no longer be allowed to charge their electric car for free. A temporary measure has been introduced due to abnormal electricity prices.
The University does not consider a tightness first or last:
In December last year, the municipality of Arendal stopped charging free parking in municipal parking lots. Before the New Year 2022, the municipal director proposed that employees should no longer be allowed to charge for free.
Free suspension from next year
Starting next year, even the country’s top elected officials will not be able to benefit from free electricity for their electric cars.
The President decided on 20 October to introduce the payment solution. It will be introduced in early 2023, “as soon as this is practically possible”, the Storting says.
– The decision in the presidency was based on the fact that it is reasonable to pay for charging private electric cars in Storting. The introduction of tolling fees is in line with general social development, writes department head Monika Diewoldt in an email to Optenposten.
Storting does not know how much the free charge is. However, the drive for tightening is not just electricity prices:
– The measure was originally proposed as a means of improving the availability of chargers. The plan was to deal independently of the energy saving measures at Storting, says Diewald.
It is envisaged that the charging price should, as far as practicable, follow the price of electricity.
Health care providers consider payment
The country’s largest healthcare company is considering doing the same. Oslo University Hospital’s 24,000 employees have so far been allowed to charge their electric cars for free.
– OUS is definitely considering introducing a fee for using the possibility to charge the car while parking, says Bjørn Ludvik Andreassen, head of division in the property department of OUS.
Today, the hospital has a one-stop billing pilot program. This can be extended to other areas of the hospital. The basic idea is to offset your electricity costs.
– It is not based on electricity crisis. There are several reasons why we prefer this, including cost containment and the desire for less trade-off for operations.
Hells sørøest does not have an overview of which guidelines apply to all of its 80,000 employees. Each of the eleven health institutions must decide.
Municipal austerity on ice
While the Oslo municipality began its savings measures in mid-October, several drastic measures were still on hold. Closing outdoor ice rinks and ice rinks only when necessary, reducing ice production in Holmenkollen, further lowering the temperature in municipal bathrooms – or reducing the charging concession for electric cars would be appropriate.
Communication consultant Tor Audun Gramm tells Optenbosten that the municipality does not see the need to tighten further.
– Oslo Municipality offers affordable vehicle charging in several municipal car parks. The reduced concession means that the price for parking should more closely reflect the electricity costs associated with being charged by the municipality, says Gram.
A limited number of public chargers can be used today for free on municipal roads, but this is a solution anyway. In principle, you have to pay tolls in municipal car parks.
Oslo Municipality does not specify which rules apply to employees in various municipal companies.
– When it comes to employee parking, it depends on the individual employer what concessions they offer to the employee. We didn’t know freebies were so widespread.
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