Energy grid revolution for northern Norway
Norwegian state-owned energy grid company Statnett intends to make northern Norway its top priority region the next 15 years. New energy transmission lines will be constructed, which could open a new era of industrial opportunities in the region.
Statnett, Norway’s main national grid owner and operator, today presented plans, which will make northern Norway the company’s main investment region the next 15 years.
Company information director Tor Inge Akselsen confirms to NRK that wind park plans and new oil and gas projects are main reasons for the planned investments. The news about the investments come just a week after the Norwegian government approved the development plans for the Goliat oil field in the Barents Sea. As BarentsObserver reported, that field is to be developed with power from the mainland.
The investments in the region have a price tag of about 8 billion NOK, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reports. Included in the plans is a new 420 KW transmission line from Balsfjord to Hammerfest and a 132 KW line from the Norwegian-Russian Pasvik border river to Varangerbotn
Insufficient power transmission capacity has been the roadblock to a number of new industrial project in northern Norway, among them several wind power project along the Barents Sea.
The Norwegian government represented by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy is the owner and ministry responsible for Statnett.
