The Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment has reviewed two private member's bills aimed at streamlining the power grid and increasing network capacity. The proposers argue that grid capacity has become a bottleneck constraining business establishment and expansion, and they propose 22 concrete measures to speed up permitting, improve technology deployment, and reform regulation.
AI-generated summary · Model: Claude Haiku 4.5 · Generated: 14 May 2026
These are the proposals in the document, not decisions. See the votes for the outcome.
The Storting calls on the government to significantly reduce processing times at the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) for minor grid connections, with the goal of substantially shortening processing times for major transmission network projects, and to revise processes and procedures to ensure faster grid expansion.
The Storting calls on the government to require grid operators to investigate district heating capacity in areas with existing district heating infrastructure before offering customers grid connections, to optimize energy resource use, prevent duplicate infrastructure, and preserve grid capacity for those who need it.
The Storting calls on the government to propose the removal of the CO2 tax on Norwegian waste incineration plants.
The Storting calls on the government to adjust the revenue cap framework so grid operators can recover costs for investment in and operation of new technologies that improve grid utilization.
The Storting calls on the government to return to the Storting with proposals to reduce the number of grid operators.
The Storting calls on the government to propose necessary amendments to the Energy Act and related regulations so that simple line work within the same route and work within the same fenced area do not require a permit application.
The Storting calls on the government to streamline the processing of new permit applications at NVE for both grid and power generation projects.
The Storting calls on the government to pause reviews of hydropower licence conditions for three years.
The Storting calls on the government to enable the transfer of licensing decisions for small, mini, and micro hydropower plants to municipal and regional grid operators, and ensure rapid capacity increases in areas with poor power supply.
The Storting calls on the government to expand use of conditional grid connections for business purposes, particularly to secure available capacity for defence, defence industry, and other security-related objectives.
The Storting calls on the government to enable flexible energy solutions, including exemptions from the ban on fossil fuel heating, to reduce strain on the power grid during periods of high demand.
The Storting calls on the government to introduce a reservation fee system in the grid queue, so capacity is allocated more to actors with real and mature projects, reducing queue speculation and unnecessary capacity blocking.
The Storting calls on the government to consider using its reservation right if the EU introduces a tax on transmission network bottleneck revenues where Norway would be disadvantaged.
The Storting calls on the government to simplify the area permit framework, giving grid operators greater scope to implement measures within their licence, including minor adjustments, grid reinforcements, and capacity-increasing measures that currently require NVE review.
The Storting calls on the government to introduce measures to cut licensing processing times for grids in half, including clear management signals, earlier and better stakeholder involvement, predictable time-bound processes with fixed deadlines, digitalization, streamlined procedures, fast-track options, and parallel processing, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 budget.
The Storting calls on the government to evaluate the current model for grid connection and maturity criteria, and examine a possible national licensing system for major power consumption, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 budget.
The Storting calls on the government to streamline processing and examine exemptions from licensing requirements where upgraded or renewed power lines are built within the same route or area, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 budget.
The Storting calls on the government to assess expected grid infrastructure investment needs through 2035 and 2040, what this means for grid tariffs, and how it should be managed, and to examine adjustments to the revenue cap model to enable increased investment, faster rollout, and clear incentives for early deployment in suitable areas, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 budget.
The Storting calls on the government to ensure grid operators accelerate digitalization and sensor use, and develop guidelines for operating the grid with smaller margins during certain periods to increase capacity and better utilize existing infrastructure, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 budget.
The Storting calls on the government to promote increased consumer flexibility and more local balancing through further development of flexibility markets, greater use of conditional connections, and measures pricing grid capacity access, such as queue fees for unused reserved capacity, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 budget.
The Storting calls on the government to examine measures to ensure a better-organized grid with fewer operators, aiming for more efficient operations, including greater expertise in digitalization and flexible operation, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 budget.
The Storting calls on the government to promote grid capacity release through expanded district heating use, including a comprehensive review of how the district heating sector can contribute more to the energy system and how its contribution should be reflected in financing models, and to consider this alongside flexibility markets and local balancing, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 budget.
The Storting calls on the government to further streamline NVE's processing and increase use of digital tools in its operations.
The Storting calls on the government to set processing deadlines for NVE applications and maintain statistics on processing times.
The Storting calls on the government to ensure Statnett actively pursues shorter project timelines.
The Storting calls on the government to conduct a comprehensive review of requirements and content for licensing decisions on grid and power projects, with the goal of clearer, more efficient, and more predictable processes.
The Storting calls on the government to amend the regulations on grid regulation and energy markets section 34, so that co-location of industry within the same industrial area or park is weighted in maturity assessments for grid connections, to promote more land- and energy-efficient industrial development.
The Storting calls on the government to further develop and clarify maturity assessment criteria in the connection system for major power consumers, so that quantified climate impact of power consumption is evaluated, along with documented flexibility options and conditional connection possibilities.