The Standing Committee on Energy and Environment is considering two private member's bills aimed at accelerating grid development and improving network capacity utilization. The proposers argue that grid capacity is a limited resource constraining new business establishment, and call on the government to implement measures to shorten permit processing, increase operational efficiency, and enable faster grid expansion.
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 projects, with the goal of substantially shortening processing times for major transmission grid expansions, and to adjust processes and procedures accordingly to ensure more capacity is built faster.
The Storting calls on the government to require network operators to examine district heating capacity in areas with existing district heating infrastructure before granting customers grid connections, to ensure optimal use of energy resources, prevent redundant infrastructure, and preserve grid capacity for those who need it.
The Storting calls on the government to propose eliminating the CO2 tax for Norwegian waste incineration facilities.
The Storting calls on the government to make necessary changes to the revenue cap framework so that network operators can recover costs for investing in and operating new technology that improves grid utilization.
The Storting calls on the government to return to the Storting with proposals to reduce the number of network operators.
The Storting calls on the government to propose necessary changes to the Energy Act and accompanying regulations to ensure that simple line projects in the same route and work within the same enclosed area do not require a permit.
The Storting calls on the government to simplify permit processing at NVE for both grid and power generation projects.
The Storting calls on the government to pause the review of conditions for hydropower plants for three years.
The Storting calls on the government to enable transfer of permit processing for small, mini, and micro hydropower to local and regional network operators, and ensure rapid capacity increases in areas with inadequate power supply.
The Storting calls on the government to allow grid connection conditions for business to be used more widely than today, particularly to secure available capacity for defence, defence industry, and other security purposes.
The Storting calls on the government to enable flexible energy solutions, including exemptions from the ban on fossil fuels, to reduce strain on the power grid during periods of high demand.
The Storting calls on the government to introduce a reservation lease system in the grid queue so that capacity is allocated more to actors with real and mature projects, and to prevent queue positioning and unnecessary capacity binding.
The Storting calls on the government to consider using reservation rights if the EU introduces a tax on bottleneck revenues from the power grid where Norway fares poorly.
The Storting calls on the government to simplify the area concession framework so that network operators have greater scope to implement measures within their concession, including minor adjustments, grid reinforcements, and capacity improvements that currently require NVE processing.
The Storting calls on the government to introduce measures to halve permit processing time for grid projects, including providing clearer policy signals, earlier and better coordination, and predictable time-bound processes with deadlines; utilizing digitalization; simplifying case processing; and introducing fast-track and parallel processing, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 state budget.
The Storting calls on the government to evaluate the current connection model and maturity criteria and examine a possible national permit system for large-scale power consumption, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 state budget.
The Storting calls on the government to simplify case processing and examine exemptions from permit requirements where power lines being upgraded or renewed are built in the same route or same defined area, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 state budget.
The Storting calls on the government to examine the expected investment needs in grid infrastructure through 2035 and 2040, what this means for grid tariffs, and how it should be handled, and to examine adjustments to the revenue cap model to enable increased investment, faster expansion, and clear incentives for early development in suitable areas, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 state budget.
The Storting calls on the government to ensure network operators accelerate digitalization and sensor deployment, and establish guidelines for operating the grid with somewhat lower margins during certain periods to increase capacity and better utilize existing infrastructure, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 state budget.
The Storting calls on the government to promote greater consumption flexibility and more local balancing through further development and access to flexibility markets and greater use of conditional connection terms, and to consider measures that price the right to draw a given amount of grid capacity, such as a queue fee for unused reserved capacity, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 state budget.
The Storting calls on the government to examine measures to ensure a better organized power grid with fewer network operators, aiming to operate networks more efficiently, including increasing expertise in digitalization and flexible operation, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 state budget.
The Storting calls on the government to enable the release of grid capacity through greater use of district heating, including conducting a comprehensive review of how the district heating sector can contribute more to the energy system and how that contribution should be reflected in its financing model, and to consider this alongside flexibility markets and local balancing, and to report back to the Storting by the 2027 state budget.
The Storting calls on the government to amend the Regulation on Network Operation and Energy Markets § 34 so that co-location of industry within the same industrial area or industrial park is emphasized in the maturity assessment for grid connection, with the aim of more land- and energy-efficient industrial development.
The Storting calls on the government to further develop and clarify the criteria in the maturity assessment of the connection system for large-scale power consumption, so that quantified climate impact of power consumption is assessed, as well as documented opportunities for flexibility and conditional connection.
The Storting calls on the government to make further efficiency improvements to NVE's case processing and increase use of digital tools in its work.
The Storting calls on the government to set deadlines for NVE case processing and maintain statistics on processing times.
The Storting calls on the government to ensure that Statnett actively works to shorten delivery times in its projects.
The Storting calls on the government to conduct a comprehensive review of the requirements and content underlying permit processing for grid and power projects, with the aim of achieving clearer, more efficient, and more predictable processes.