Norway’s opposition demands energy minister respond to northern power grid restrictions

Norway’s Conservative Party (Høyre) and the Progress Party (Frp) have sharply criticised the government’s energy policy after state grid operator Statnett imposed temporary restrictions on new power consumption reservations north of Svartisen, reports news agency NTB.

Statnett announced a halt to reservations for grid capacity exceeding 5 MW for all new electricity use in the region, citing concerns that projected demand growth will outstrip supply. The threshold for standard consumption has also been lowered from 5 MW to 1 MW in East Finnmark, except for customers with existing reservations.

“This shows the government has no control over the power situation,” said Frp MP Kristoffer Sivertsen, demanding energy minister Terje Aasland (Labour) take action. “Does the minister consider this acceptable, and will he intervene?”

Høyre’s energy spokesperson, Aleksander Stokkebø, called the move “a bankruptcy declaration for the government’s energy policy,” warning it could signal broader failures. He accused Labour of breaking its 2030 pledge to match Finnmark’s renewable energy growth with demand from the Melkøya electrification project.

Since 2023, when Statnett raised the standard consumption limit to 5 MW, reported demand in the area has surged by 120 MW. Stokkebø described the situation as “a major fiasco,” adding: “The consequences are now becoming painfully clear.”