Norway added less than expected new power generation in 2021

NVE

28/01/2022 09:30

OSLO, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Norway's annual power generation
capacity grew by 3.1 terawatt hours (TWh) last year, less than
half of the 7.1 TWh growth in 2020 and below expectations
because of pandemic-driven project delays, regulator NVE said on
Friday.
    Wind farms accounted for 1.7 TWh of the new capacity and
hydropower for the remaining 1.4 TWh, with 2 TWh across both
technologies installed in the fourth quarter alone, NVE data
showed. 
    "We had expected some more capacity to be built," NVE's head
of energy and permitting, Inga Nordberg, said in a statement,
adding that several projects faced delays because of COVID-19
restrictions.
    Norway and Sweden's joint electricity certificate subsidy
scheme closed to new participants at the end of last year and
was expected to have more capacity brought online, she added.
    Total wind power generation now stands at 15.4 TWh, about
10% of total Norwegian electricity production, Nordberg added.
    A further 2.2 TWh of wind and 1.3 TWh of hydropower
generation capacity are under construction, NVE said.
    Hydropower is Norway's dominant source of electricity supply
at about 90%, followed by onshore wind at 7%, NVE figures show. 
    Grid operator Statnett has said 2021 total power generation
was 157 TWh. 
    NVE has yet to publish total generation figures but has
estimated it at 158 TWh, about 20 TWh more than domestic
consumption, but demand is expected to rise faster than new
capacity in the coming years. 
    At the same time, the surge in power prices has added fuel
to political debate on how Norway can add new generation
capacity. 
    With onshore wind power facing local opposition, Norway is
set to offer its first offshore wind farm licences this year,
though tender details have yet to be confirmed.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2S35KL
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL5N2O642M  

 (Reporting by Nora Buli
Editing by Victoria Klesty and David Goodman)
 ((Nora.Buli@thomsonreuters.com; (+47) 21 04 05 56; Reuters
Messaging: nora.buli.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))