Vindkraft i nord: Frist utsettes til januar
Selskapene som vil bygge ut vindkraft i Finnmark får utsatt søknadsfristen med tre måneder.
Norges vassdrags- og energidirektorat (NVE) has granted extensions for wind energy projects in Finnmark, with a new deadline of January 31. The initial deadline was November 1. NVE states that the delay is due to some consequence assessments not being completed in time. Inga Nordberg, director of energy and concessions at NVE, emphasizes the importance of advancing the implementation of the power boost for Finnmark.
She also acknowledges the companies' reasons for the delay and believes that obtaining more time could lead to a better informed approach, including potential impacts on reindeer herding.
These projects are part of the government's commitment made in 2023 to Equinor to construct wind energy equivalent to the power consumption of the gas plant on Melkøya. Equinor plans to use the electricity by 2030, while the wind energy line won't be ready until 2032. It remains uncertain when the actual wind farms will be operational.
Initially, NVE received 26 wind energy projects, prioritizing 11 for further consideration. The rest were postponed, and companies were asked to withdraw them. NVE has required a collective delivery of applications to ensure an efficient process that reduces the burden on the affected parties. Companies have contacted NVE, requesting more time to complete the necessary assessments.
For projects involving joint assessments for reindeer herding, the main reason is that the assessment won't be ready on time. When applications are received, they will be heard, likely in the spring of 2027. Concurrently, the Sami interests will be consulted, and local area regulation plans will be required. The Sametinget has taken a stand against the state, arguing that they were not consulted in the matter of the Melkøya electrification and that the project requires significant infrastructure developments in Finnmark, necessitating natural disruptions.
The state was acquitted in court last year. A similar case against the state is currently underway in Borgarting Lagmannsrett.
Written by urgent.news from E24 Norway's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
