“Melkøya Visit by Mayor on Sp-no: An Incredibly Unwise Decision”

The Center Party’s national meeting says no to electrifying Melkøya for fear of high electricity prices. – Populist, says Hammerfest Mayor Terje Wikstrøm.

– Electrifying Melkøya in the current situation in the north is not relevant, says representative Ole André Myhrvold (Sp) to E24.

At the weekend, the national meeting of the governing party the Center Party said no to Equinor being allowed to use large amounts of electricity from the power grid to replace gas power on The LNG plantThe LNG plantLNG (liquefied natural gas) is natural gas that is cooled and compressed, so that it can be sent by ship to the world market on Melkøya in Hammerfest.

The NOK 13 billion project will extend the life of the Melkøya plant and ensure long-term supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the world market.

Hammerfest mayor Terje Wikstrøm (Ap) believes that the Center Party’s resolution creates uncertainty. He fears a controlled liquidation on Melkøya.

– I think the proposal is very unwise, says Wikstrøm to E24.

– A no to this project means in practice a controlled decommissioning of Melkøya, and that the lifetime of the facility will be shortened, he says.

– Very populist

Wikstrøm is frustrated that the Sp national meeting has said no to electrification without stating any alternative. Other parties have pointed to CO₂ cleaning as an alternative, although Equinor claims it is very expensive.

– It is easy to say no, but I want to challenge the Center Party on what their solution is. This is not how we have historically built up our industries. This will be very populist, says Wikstrøm.

– I am concerned with predictability, it is very important both for business and for the region, he says.

– Can’t accept

The center party fears that the electrification on Melkøya will put so much pressure on electricity prices that other industrial projects in the north will be dropped, according to Myhrvold.

– We cannot accept that consequence. We must intensify the debate on how to achieve the climate goals, and how to increase the surplus of energy, he says.

Wikstrøm fears that the Center Party’s moves could also threaten the Skaidi-Hammerfest power line, which Equinor will have to help pay for. Wikstrøm wonders what the Center Party will do to ensure enough power and networks for the Hammerfest region.

– This can create uncertainty about this line. Without the line, there may be a lack of power for other players in the area, such as Horisont Energi’s hydrogen and ammonia project, he says.

– Can cause a lack of power

The mayors of Northern Norway’s six largest municipalities have previously come out and said that they fear that the electrification of Melkøya will come at the expense of business development and jobs in the region.

Among these is Harstad mayor Kari-Anne Opsal (Ap). She believes it must be possible to achieve national climate targets and secure Melkøya’s future without affecting other players in the region who need power.

– This project could create a power shortage in northern Norway and prevent industrial opportunities elsewhere, such as in Mo i Rana and Narvik, says Opsal.

– Statnett has already said no to 40 actors who have asked for increased power consumption in the region, and there is little public and political understanding that Melkøya will get in the way of the green shift in other industries, she says.

– Should Ap then do as Sp and say no to the electrification of Melkøya?

– It is not that simple, because we also have to reach our climate targets, and Norway has promised to be a reliable supplier of gas. It also provides large national revenues. If Melkøya is not electrified, production will be significantly reduced from around 2030, so amicable solutions must be found here, says Opsal.

– A nut

One possible solution to the growing need for power in the north is to increase power production in the region, but there is great opposition to new power and grid developments.

– That is a nut, says Opsal.

She believes the population has difficulty understanding why consumption should be increased dramatically if there is not enough power for it.

– There is hardly a person in Northern Norway who understands why we should do this until we have developed enough power and networks to be able to supply both the oil industry and industry. This should have been done a long time ago, she says.

– Very serious

The electrificationThe electrificationIn this case, electrification means replacing polluting gas power with clean water and wind power from the power grid of Melkøya will cut emissions by 850,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents annually, or close to two per cent of Norway’s total emissions.

Norway is miles behind its own climate targets. The plan is to cut 55 percent of emissions by 2030, but so far Norway is only on track to cut 25 percent.

World probably passes 1.5 degrees warming in the 2030s, according to a report from the UN Climate Panel on Monday.

Storting representative Lars Haltbrekken (SV) fears that the Center Party’s no may lead to emissions on Melkøya just continuing as before.

– That is why the government must help order Equinor to look thoroughly at carbon capture and storage instead of electrification, says Haltbrekken to E24.

– If the Center Party now just says no to electrification and does not intend to do anything about the emissions from Melkøya, then it is very serious, he adds.

SV is also concerned about the Skaidi-Hammerfest power line, which, according to NVE, could have consequences for reindeer husbandry in the area. Haltbrekken therefore believes that the government must look into whether the line can be laid in cable, even if it may cost more.

– Extremely short-term

– Saying no means in practice that LNG production on Melkøya will be reduced earlier than would otherwise have been the case. What the Center Party does by saying no without alternatives will be extremely short-term, says representative Nikolai Astrup (H) to E24.

He is open to CO₂ purification, if this is possible within the time frame Equinor has set. But basically he believes that enough power should be produced for both Equinor and other industry.

– I don’t know why the industry on Melkøya should be compared to other industries. Both parts are important. What happens on Melkøya is very profitable for society and the company, so in this sense Snøhvit Future is a very good project. We must rather develop power production in the region, so we have enough for everything, he says.