– It is beyond all reason to shut down the gas power plant at Mongstad when Norway has sky-high electricity prices and we are in danger of electricity rationing, says Listhaug to NTB.
Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland (Ap) has announced that there may be a need for power rationing next spring.
The reason is that there is little water in the reservoirs and therefore a lack of power, and that there is an energy shortage in Europe as a result of the war in Ukraine.
– A paradox
– Now the government must intervene immediately, and the operation of the gas power plant continues as both Statnett and local business are asking for, says the FRP leader.
It is a paradox that the gas power plant at Mongstad is shut down just before a predicted energy crisis, says general manager Baste Tveito of the Nordhordland business association.
– The timing could hardly have been worse. Here, it is necessary to think anew, he adds Newspaper Nordhordland.
Asking the government to act
In June, Statnett therefore asked Equinor to keep the gas power plant at Mongstad. But Equinor says it will shut down the plant because it is too expensive to keep it on standby.
The trade union leader has brought with him county mayor Jon Askeland (Sp) in Vestland and the Bergen business council on an initiative to ask the government to reassess the matter.
– The Minister has announced possible power rationing for the winter. The fact that Equinor is dismantling the gas power plant at the same time is indeed special. We are now taking a joint initiative to ask the government to do something. We ask the minister to look into this, and look at what can be done, says Askeland.
– Here the government has the opportunity to finally show action. I expect them to reply to Vestland and Bergen Business Council that they must quickly find a solution to continue operations, says Listhaug.
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