Norwegian water reservoirs hit 20-year low

Norway’s water reservoirs reached their lowest level in 20 years in late July, Dagbladet reported, as a dry and warm summer pushed levels down during a period when they normally rise. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate will publish updated figures for week 31 at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

In week 30, the national filling rate was 61.8 per cent. Levels in the southern, western and central Norwegian electricity price areas were lower than they had been in more than 20 years. Eastern Norway was below normal, while northern Norway had high levels for this time of year.

Two weeks ago, NVE urged water utility owners, well owners and others who extract water to monitor the situation closely.

“Water shortages can affect many consumers and important societal functions,” NVE section head Torill Engen Skaugen said. She urged owners of hatcheries, waterworks and wells to consider water-saving measures if reservoir levels were unusually low.

The low filling rate has two main causes. Southern parts of the country received less snow and rain than normal during the winter and spring. The summer has also been dry and warm, with high temperatures and little rain causing heavy evaporation and limited inflow of new water. Electricity production has drained the reservoirs faster than nature has been able to refill them.

The question is whether there will be enough precipitation in the coming months to raise reservoir levels before snow and winter arrive. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute has forecast that the next three months will not bring particularly high rainfall.

Most of southern Norway will probably have a drier season than normal for this time of year, according to the seasonal forecast. Northern Norway and Spitsbergen are more likely to experience a wet season.

Silje Eriksen Holmen, head of fundamental analysis and hydrology at Volt Power Analytics, told Teknisk Ukeblad that the reservoirs would need a very wet autumn to return to normal levels.

“If we have a dry autumn, the gap between the market price and what people pay will increase, and it will become more expensive for the state,” she said, referring to the Norgespris scheme and electricity support scheme for homes and cabins.