Nord Pool Spot has received the following information from Statnett:
Statnett considers both the energy and power balance to be good as winter approaches. The reservoir levels for the Norwegian power plants are at normal across the country. The total Norwegian water level in the reservoirs was 84.8 per cent at the end of the week of 19 October, in line with the 1993-2000 seasonal average.
September saw record amounts of precipitation in Central and Northern Norway. The country as a whole has received precipitation equalling 98 TWh so far this year. This is about 3 TWh above that of an average year.
The total consumption in Norway is at the same time about seven per cent lower than the same period last year, partly due to the international finance crisis. The reduction is mainly from in the energy intensive industry.
Now that the Oslofjord cables are in place, and the cable between Sør-Trøndelag County and Sweden (Nea – Järpströmmen) is operating at 420 kV, our cross-border energy trading possibilities are normal ahead of winter.
Statnett does not expect any challenges in handling consumption on the coldest days. The effect balance prognosis for this winter is good, partly due to the reduction in the consumption of the energy intensive industry.
Generally there are major differences between the three energy market areas in Norway. Central Norway stands out from the others due to a massive energy deficit, a fairly low reservoir capacity, a large share of energy intensive industry and a limited transmission capacity into the area. It is therefore important to increase the transmission capacity to the area, so that Central Norway may have the same energy supply security as the rest of the country. At the end of the week of 19 October, the water level in the reservoirs in NO2 (Central Norway) was 85.8 per cent. This is 2.5 percentage points above the median for the period from 1993 to 2005.
Southern and Northern Norway (NO1 and NO3) have, in general, a better energy balance, but both areas are also in need of extensive investments in new grid capacity in order to maintain a secure energy supply in the years ahead. Reservoir levels in NO1 and NO 3 are normal ahead of this coming winter. At the end of the week of 19 October, reservoir levels in NO1 were at 84.6 per cent, while the water levels in the reservoirs in NO3 were at 85.1 per cent.
This means everything is in place for a secure energy supply for the entire country this winter.
Lysaker, 4 November 2009
For further information, please contact Statnett:
Tom Tellefsen, National Control Center, phone +47 22527443, mailto:[email protected]
Idar Gimmestad, National Control Center, phone +47 22527515, mailto:[email protected]