Norway moves to halve the time it takes to build new power grids

Norway has unveiled a package of measures aimed at speeding up both renewable build-out and grid expansion. The plan streamlines project assessment and caps the handling of applications to connect to the grid at two years, the bet being that thinner bureaucracy and shorter approvals move projects along.

The stated aim is to halve how long it takes to plan and build the country’s grid networks, measured against the years before the current cabinet came to power in 2021. According to energy minister Terje Aasland, the effect should build toward the end of this parliamentary term and through the 2030s, while still delivering some results in the near term.

The plan strips state administrators and other public bodies of the right to object to grid infrastructure, with one deliberate exception: the Sami Parliament keeps its right to object. Grid operator Statnett and the Norwegian water and energy directorate will be asked to prioritise the projects that matter most to the power system.

On onshore wind the government is more cautious, planning only to simplify municipal procedures, including scrapping the zoning-plan requirement and clarifying municipalities’ role in approvals. Municipalities will also begin receiving wind-tax revenue earlier, from the construction phase, with the mechanism due in the 2027 state budget.

Source: reNews