– Listhaug should start all interviews about electricity, by saying sorry for the policy they pursued for almost eight years.
Record-high electricity prices have been hotly debated throughout the winter.
The average price in December 2020 was 21 øre. In December 2021, however, Norwegian electricity customers had to pay 177.1 øre during the Christmas month – a price increase of 743 percent. It shows figures from Norpol.
– This shows how extreme the situation has now become for many Norwegian electricity customers. It is completely unsustainable that people are now sitting at home and freezing because they are afraid of getting new giant bills in the mailbox, at the same time as the public sector is making a fortune on sky-high electricity prices, says party leader in the Progress Party, Sylvi Listhaug to Nettavisen.
Listhaug is not gracious in his criticism of Minister of Finance Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Sp).
– He should immediately wake up from the paralysis of action instead of shadowing away the problem, she says.
Vedum does not agree with the criticism and states:
“Listhaug should start all interviews about electricity, by apologizing for the policy they pursued for almost eight years in government with the Conservatives,” says Vedum, referring to Listhaug as the mother of foreign cables.
Also read: Little precipitation was not the reason for high electricity prices: It was drier in 2019
The electricity bill which is seven times more expensive than last year
Norwegian electricity customers he expect bill that is seven times more expensive than last year. Many people are desperate about how to afford the bill. Several have stood up and said that they both freeze and avoid showering or washing clothes in the morning and during the day.
Said Frank Salvesen, administrator of the Facebook group “We who demand cheaper electricity.”
Also read: Got an electricity bill of 18,000 kroner: – Then I cursed loudly
Listhaug is furious at Vedum’s handling of the electricity crisis
Listhaug believes the case is embarrassing for the Center Party, and points out that the party this autumn promised to limit power exports abroad. The party leader claims that the Minister of Finance is more concerned with blaming everyone else rather than taking responsibility in what is a dramatic situation for many of the country’s inhabitants.
– It does not matter that the state and the Labor Party and Center Party-led power municipalities now rake in billions in extra income from the population, and then only give crumbs back to the electricity customers, says the FRP leader.
This summer, the FRP proposed removing the entire electricity tax. The electricity tax is a consumption tax that goes to the state, and is embedded in the bill you receive from the electricity company.
In 2021, the ordinary tax rate was set at 16.69 øre / kWh excluding VAT.
Listhaug emphasizes that the FRP has, among other things, followed up with proposals in the Storting to remove VAT on electricity consumption, as well as limit net power exports abroad.
A proposal was made on 1 December from Frp that they would pay 4,000 kroner to all the country’s households. The party will also stop electrification of the shelf with electricity from land.
– These are measures that would really have worked to reduce people’s electricity bills in the short and long term. Unfortunately, we have had paralyzed government parties that vote down all our proposals, without them themselves coming back again with good enough measures, she says.
Vedum: Listhaug does not take responsibility
The Minister of Finance believes that Listhaug’s criticism is untenable. Vedum believes Listhaug does not take responsibility for the policy the party pursued in position.
– Listhaug was the main architect behind the policy which today has led to many Norwegians struggling to pay the electricity bill.
He emphasizes that it was the FRP that said “yes” to the last two licenses with the development of foreign cables, and that the party was involved in registering Norway in the EU energy agency ACER.
The Minister of Finance states that electricity taxes were increased to record levels with FrP in government.
– It will be too easy to put the blame on the new government that has ruled the country since October, he says.
Vedum refers, among other things, to the government’s tax relief in the electricity tax of eight øre in the winter months and 10 øre per kWh, including VAT for private households. From April to December, the tax is reduced by 1.5 øre per kWh. In practice, this means a tax reduction of 47 percent in the winter months, and 9 percent the rest of the year, compared to 2021.
At the same time, he emphasizes that the acute power situation in Europe must also bear some of the blame.
He now promises that Norwegian electricity customers can expect additional support schemes in addition to the compensation scheme, which entails a deduction of 55 percent of the spot price over 70 øre.
– I am not happy until we have managed to give more security to people. And we will take a number of steps to bring more power into the market. To achieve this, a completely different way of thinking about foreign cables is required, no new cables are to be built, he says, and adds:
– We must provide extra help to those who have the hardest time with extra housing support, and add more money to social assistance to the municipalities. But the big move to bring down the excessively high power prices in the market has not been done overnight, and therefore we must have a good security scheme that helps people here and now, he concludes.
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