Senterpartiet til Aasland: – Slutt å grine

Aasland, the energy minister, expressed delight each time it rains, due to the expected high electricity prices in winter caused by insufficient water in reservoirs. The Senterpartiet believes the solution lies in imposing a 20 øre per kilowatt-hour export tax. Energy policy spokesperson for the party, Maren Grøthe, asserts that it's time to stop grinning and take action.

Grøthe and the party are ready for budget negotiations, and the export tax demand is one of several measures to counteract excessive foreign dependence. Party leader Trygve Slagsvold Vedum dismisses concerns that the measure resembles Trump's tariff policies and isn't worried about neighboring countries implementing a similar charge.

He believes the government should at least consider a minimum solution of 7.3 øre. Implementing the 20 øre per kilowatt-hour export tax would bring in three billion kroner to the state budget, according to the party's calculations. Vedum emphasizes that this move will challenge the EU, but in the harsh winter months, drastic measures are necessary.

Vedum also highlights that Europe might benefit from Norway safeguarding its defense and aluminum industries. He argues that there's more room for maneuver within the EEA agreement than what the government claims. Vedum questions the wisdom of sending electricity back to Norway via Denmark and Germany for winter storage, especially when Norway's power exports have been significantly higher than imports in recent years.

Grøthe points out that the export tax proposal might be premature, given that Aasland warned of much higher electricity prices, which have already been accounted for in the state budget. Grøthe stresses the urgency of addressing the issue, particularly for smaller enterprises to help them through the winter. Both parties advocate for a temporary halt in the development of data centers due to the high energy consumption.

The debate continues on whether to prioritize this or stop data centers altogether, with Vedum and Grøthe agreeing that both concerns should be addressed.