By Snorre Schjønberg and Rikke Lillelien

The problem has been updated.

Cable processing was postponed to 2021, and Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp) later said that the project would be buried. Now, however, the government is continuing the actual processing of license applications.

– This app has no chance of survival. We stopped him in the Storting. We have now gained experience. It’s not right to give permission for a new foreign cable, period, said Stein Erik Lauvås at the APS Energy Fraction in Storting to NTB.

The Center party has made clear it does not want the cable, and Labor’s energy committee said Monday it was not desirable to have a new foreign cable in the first place. SV doesn’t want that either.

– We take it for granted that the government rejected the application. Another thing would be very surprising in the current situation with very high electricity prices, said SV energy politician Lars Haltbrekken.

– Better foundation

LO leader Peggy Hessen Følsvik also does not believe that a license will be granted for the cable.

– I think most people agree with us today that the last thing we need is new power lines going straight from mainland Norway straight out of the country. Those who wished to privatize the opportunity to operate international connections a decade ago were silent, Hessen Følsvik told NTB.

Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland (Ap) said the case was reopened because there was now a better basis for processing applications.

– Of course, all permit applications in the ministry must be processed properly. We are getting started now, said Aasland.

[ Strømprisen kan koste Inger Hilde og 200 kollegaer jobben: – Har blitt noen søvnløse netter ]

Left wants the cord

Liberal Ola Elvestuen says the cable must be built. He pointed out that there are many new wind power projects underway in Scotland. The cable could thus contribute to lower prices and better supply security in Norway, he said.

– This could be good with the new license processing if it’s not just a game for galleries on the government’s part to say no. Venstre still believes NorthConnect should be built, said Elvestuen.

said NorthConnect chairman, Tore Olaf Rimmereid Technical Weekly that he had noted the case would be heard again, but would not say whether he expected to receive a yes.

– I have no comment on that. We see that processing has resumed and we will make input relevant to processing. Of course we want to do it, said Rimmereid.

[ 95 prosent er fornøyde ved helsehusene, sa byrådet. Nye tall viser at det er langt fra sannheten ]

Want a quick decision

Power cables have been disputed for a long time, and the Ministry of Oil and Energy wanted a quick decision. The ministry has asked NorthConnect for any new information that may be relevant to processing the case by February 24.

– In 2018, Labor confirmed that applications for the NorthConnect development were temporarily suspended, partly because we wanted to know more about the effect increased exchange capacity would have on the Norwegian power system. The reason we are continuing the treatment is because we now have a better knowledge base to assess the impact of increased exchange capacity on power systems, said Aasland.

[ Alle venter utålmodig på nok og ikke minst billigere strøm ]

[ Slik vil Ap kutte strømprisen ]

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