The electricity sector in Norway relies predominantly on hydroelectricity. A significant share of the total electrical production is consumed by national industry.
Skagerrak is the name of a 1,700 MW high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission facility between Tjele (Denmark) and Kristiansand (Norway). It is owned and operated by Statnett in Norway, and Energinet in Denmark. The lines connect the hydroelectric-based Norwegian grid and the wind and thermal power-based Danish grid. In operation it enables more renewable energy in the energy mix, and more efficient use of electricity.
NorNed is a 580-kilometre (360 mi) long high-voltage direct current submarine power cable between Feda, Norway and the seaport of Eemshaven in the Netherlands, which interconnects both countries' electrical grids. It was once the longest submarine power cable in the world. Budgeted at €550 million, and completed at a cost of €600m, the NorNed cable is a bipolar HVDC link with a voltage of ±450 kV and a capacity of 700 MW. NorNed is a joint project of the Norwegian transmission system operator Statnett and its Dutch counterpart TenneT. The cable system itself and the two converter stations were produced by ABB.
A submarine power cable is a transmission cable for carrying electric power below the surface of the water. These are called "submarine" because they usually carry electric power beneath salt water but it is also possible to use submarine power cables beneath fresh water. Examples of the latter exist that connect the mainland with large islands in the St. Lawrence River.
Statkraft AS is a hydropower company, fully owned by the Norwegian state. The Statkraft Group is Europe's largest generator of renewable energy, as well as Norway’s largest and the Nordic region's third largest energy producer. Statkraft develops and generates hydropower, wind power, gas power, district heating and solar power. It is also a player in the international energy markets. The company has 5,300 employees in 21 countries with their headquarters located in Oslo, Norway.
NordLink is a subsea 1,400 megawatt (MW) HVDC power cable between Norway and Germany, opened in May 2021. The over 500 kilometres (310 mi) long cable operates at a voltage of 500 kV DC.
TenneT is a transmission system operator in the Netherlands and in a large part of Germany.
Nordic electricity market is a common market for electricity in the Nordic countries. It is one of the first free electric-energy markets in Europe and is traded in NASDAQ OMX Commodities Europe and Nord Pool Spot. In 2003, the largest market shares were as follows: Vattenfall 17%, Fortum 14.1%, Statkraft 8.9%, E.on 7.5%, Elsam 5%, Pohjolan Voima 5%. Other producers had 42.5% market share.
Energinet is the Danish national transmission system operator for electricity and natural gas. It is an independent public enterprise owned by the Danish state under the Ministry of Climate and Energy. Energinet has some 1150 employees, and its headquarters are located in Erritsø near Fredericia in Jutland. The gas division is located in Ballerup near Copenhagen.
Glomfjord power plant is a hydroelectric power plant in the village of Glomfjord in Meløy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It gets its water from Nedre Navervatn lake which is located about 465 metres (1,526 ft) above sea level. The plant also house a newer 2.4-megawatt (3,200 hp) Francis generator taking water from Fykanvatn lake as well. The outlet of the plant is the Glomfjorden and then the Norwegian Sea.
Norway is a heavy producer of renewable energy because of hydropower. Over 99% of the electricity production in mainland Norway is from 31 GW hydropower plants. The average hydropower is 133 TWh/year. There is also a large potential in wind power, offshore wind power and wave power, as well as production of bio-energy from wood. Norway has limited resources in solar energy, but is one of the world's largest producers of solar grade silicon and silicon solar cells.
The Great Belt power link, also known as the Great Belt electricity link, is a high-voltage direct-current interconnection across the Great Belt between Funen and Zealand connecting two power transmission systems in Denmark.
NorGer was one of two planned electricity cables between Germany and Norway. The other proposed project was NordLink, which Statnett decided to proceed with in 2015, and NorGer was cancelled.
BritNed is a 1,000 MW high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) submarine power cable between the Isle of Grain in Kent, the United Kingdom; and Maasvlakte in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Nord Pool AS is a pan-European power exchange. Nord Pool has its main office in Oslo and further offices in Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn and London. The company is owned by the European exchange operator Euronext as well as TSO Holding, which represents the continental Nordic and Baltic countries' transmission system operators. Nord Pool has two subsidiaries, Nord Pool AB and Nord Pool Finland Oy.
The North Sea Link is a 1,400 MW high-voltage direct current submarine power cable between Norway and the United Kingdom.
Ulla-Førre is a hydropower complex in Southern Norway. It is situated along the borders of the municipalities of Suldal and Hjelmeland and Bykle, Norway. It has an installed capacity of approximately 2,100 megawatts (2,800,000 hp), and the annual average production is 4.45 TWh (16.0 PJ) (1987–2006), while its reservoir capacity is about 7.8 TWh (28 PJ); at full production, it can last seven to eight months. The complex includes the artificial lake Blåsjø, which is made by dams around 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) above the sea level. The hydroelectric power stations in the complex are Saurdal, Kvilldal, Hylen and Stølsdal, operated by Statkraft.
Denmark's western electrical grid is part of the Synchronous grid of Continental Europe whereas the eastern part is connected to the Synchronous grid of Northern Europe via Sweden.
The NorthConnect was a proposed 650 km (400-mile) 1,400 MW HVDC interconnector over the floor of the North Sea.
Viking Link is a 1,400 MW HVDC submarine power cable between the United Kingdom and Denmark, which was completed in 2023. As of 2024, it is the longest land and subsea HVDC interconnector in the world. The project is a cooperation between British National Grid and Danish Energinet.
NOK 5906 million (2015)
