The parties will do this with electricity prices – NRK Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
Electricity prices have been record high. Although rain in southern Norway now helps, a cold winter can make it worse.
The price of electricity varies depending on where you live. Last week, the average electricity price in the south of Norway was over NOK 1 / kWh, while northern Norway was 51 øre / kWh on average, shows NVE’s weekly overview.
In the same week last year it was average electricity price in Norway 4.7 øre / kWh.
The summer of 2021, like electricity prices, was characterized by geographical variations. Northern Norway had a cold and long wet summer. Eastern Norway, on the other hand, had a hot and dry summer.
NRK has asked the parties in the Storting to ask specific questions to get an overview of what they want to do with the very high electricity prices and ease the burden for those who are hardest hit by them. Both in the short and long term.
Here are the parties’ solutions
These are questions:
1. What measures do you want in the short term to ease the burden on those hardest hit by high electricity prices?
2. What measures do you want in the long term to ensure that electricity prices do not increase so sharply, possibly not hit so hard?
Ap
By Espen Barth Eide, climate policy spokesperson:
1. In the short term, we are thinking primarily in the direction of greater housing support for people who are particularly affected when the price is particularly high.
In addition, we have proposals to strengthen the consumer rights of electricity customers, so that it becomes easier to understand what kind of kind you can get with the supplier, and easier to compare them.
We also have an assessment and other measures, for example related to adjustments to the electricity tax, but it is often an imprecise instrument.
2. In the somewhat longer term, the most important answer is to expand more power production and better networks, so that we both get enough power and that the power gets where it is needed, not least in light of the increasing electrification. Here we have signaled that we want a proper “power grab” for power and industry.
Right
By Storting politician Lene Westgaard-Halle:
1. In government, the Conservatives have expanded the most important tool we have for solving financial problems related to electricity costs, housing benefits. In addition to a permanent increase, we have this year supported and extra grant in 2021 of 260 million kroner to compensate for the high electricity prices, precisely to have the opportunity to help those who need it most. Going forward, we have also set up and committees that will review the housing allowance, so that it can be adjusted for high electricity prices and possibly other things that can not catch up today.
2. Going forward, we must work to strengthen the production of electricity in Norway, we will upgrade our hydropower plants and build offshore wind power. Increased energy production will help keep prices down. At the same time, we benefit from consumers and companies having a smarter electricity consumption, therefore we will contribute to increased energy efficiency for the individual and companies.
We do not lack electricity today, we need to get the electricity out where it is consumed, because we have a poor electricity network. Going forward, we must look at the grid rental structure in Norway. If several grid rental companies merge, we know from experience on the grid rent to us consumers is reduced, without it going to the detriment of quality online. Therefore, we will also take a closer look at this in the future.
Frp
By Deputy Chairman Ketil Solvik-Olsen:
1. FRP will do the following:
- Remove the entire electricity tax.
- Remove VAT. on power consumption.
- Increase housing support during periods of high electricity prices as we are experiencing now.
- Introduce electricity tax on electricity that exports out of the country. This will especially export, increase the power supply in Norway and flows. The income will go back to households in the form of lower electricity prices.
- Debureaucratize and simplify the electricity market so that it becomes easier for electricity customers to orientate themselves in trade.
2. Norwegian power should benefit industry and our households, and should not be used as part of the climate policy of other countries. In addition, we are opposed to wasting large parts of our power surplus on electrifying Norwegian oil platforms. Therefore, we will do the following to ensure low electricity prices in the long run:
- Implement a major investment in Norwegian hydropower plants to expand our renewable power production. FRP will change the tax system and review protected watercourses with a clear and distinct goal of greater production of hydropower for the benefit of Norwegian electricity customers.
- Increase gas exports.
- Say no to new foreign cables that push up Norwegian power prices.
- Do not waste precious electricity electrifying the shelf, as the Labor Party, the Socialist People’s Party and the Socialist People’s Party want.
Sp
By Ole André Myhrvold, Member of the Storting:
1. The Center Party wants us to have the lowest possible electricity price. We can not have such high electricity prices that it goes beyond Norwegian industry and ordinary consumers.
NRK has asked Specifications what are the measures under point 1, but has not received a response.
2. We want national control over Norwegian energy policy. This means, among other things, saying no to new foreign cables.
SV
By Lars Haltbrekken, energy and environmental policy spokesperson:
1. We must ensure that it is not those with the worst advice who are now harmed by the high electricity prices. Therefore, housing benefit must be increased and more people must be given the opportunity to receive housing benefit.
The power companies now make a lot of money and we must look at the possibility of taking out greater dividends and using them for public welfare to also choose other expenses people have, such as after-school care and daycare.
2. We must implement measures that give people the opportunity to use their electricity consumption by re-insulating the apartments and houses, installing photovoltaic systems, heat pumps and other energy-saving measures.
We must ensure that energy efficiency measures are not just for those with good advice. Therefore, a separate program must be launched in Enova aimed at families and people with poor advice.
Left
By Member of the Storting Ola Elvestuen:
1. In the short term, we will increase housing support to relieve the economy of those who struggle most with the high electricity prices.
2. In the long term, it is important for the Liberal Party to ensure a stable and efficient network that brings power to those who need it, special security of supply and connects us with the European power market.
We must continue to focus on renewable energy, in particular improving the framework conditions for solar power and increasing support for energy savings in households. We are willing to contact changes in the taxes, but this must be seen in connection with the goal of energy efficiency and a larger CO₂ tax.
KrF
By Tore Storehaug, fiscal policy spokesperson:
1. We are open to increasing housing benefits if necessary.
2. Good support schemes for energy efficiency measures, improvement of hydropower plants through cash flow taxation that frees up capital for the companies, and continued cooperation with our neighboring countries so that we can import cheaper electricity from them.
MDG
By Deputy Chairman Kriss Rokkan Iversen:
1. MDG will include the electricity bill in the Housing Bank’s housing benefit scheme and at the same time increase the limit for how much can be given to the individual, so that those with high housing costs and low income can get help to cover the high electricity bills that are coming now.
Students are not entitled to housing benefit today. We will therefore propose a pot that students with a high electricity bill can apply for.
2. Norwegians should have access to more support schemes that can save money on electricity and invest in private electricity production through sales. MDG will therefore contact several measures to make this easier. We have a huge potential for saving electricity in Norway, but Enova’s solutions are not enough. Those things today can not spend money set aside to help you and me to energy efficiency. Enova’s schemes must therefore take a closer look.
We must make it easier to get support – and the support must be large enough. The MDGs believe that the most effective way would be to change the entire scheme so that people can deduct the tax they spend on investing in energy efficiency measures.
It is generally good for households – regardless of income – that we share the electricity in Europe. This will amplify sharp fluctuations in the price of electricity for Norwegian and European students, families and pensioners.
We must redistribute the tax burden sharply – so that those with the worst advice get sharply reduced taxes, and those with the best advice contribute more.
Red
By leader Bjørnar Moxnes:
1. In the short term, we must ensure a lasting strengthening of the social safety net. The social benefit must increase, the unemployment benefit schemes must be increased permanently, and so must the housing benefit scheme. The housing allowance must be extended so that it embraces more people. We have coverage for this in our budget.
We will stop the new cable to England that opens tomorrow temporarily, to ensure that it does not lead to a further price hike. The government must instruct Statnett to stop exports through the cable with reference to the fact that we have a very low filling line in our magazines and that important societal conditions are threatened.
We support measures such as extra housing support, but it is a solution that cannot reach everyone who needs it. We have also seen that it has previously led to a reduction in other benefits, which means that they need it most and do not receive any support with this measure.
2. In the long term, we will introduce a top-price system for electricity, which makes it affordable with the electricity you need for a normal consumption, while luxury consumption such as having a heated swimming pool or driveway in the cottage all year round, costs more.
In this system, I can, for example, look at grid rent, electricity tax and VAT to differentiate between basic and luxury consumption.
We want to say to Nord Connect and make it possible to build the use of the new foreign cables that I do not have any of our supply, but only export electricity at the same time as high electricity prices importers.
We want to make it easier and cheaper to implement energy-saving measures, so that also people who can have their homes or other measures insulated.
See The Debate on Immediate Action Her
See The Debate on the UK Power Cable here