Far from everyone can get proper license processing. By June, NVE will do the first rough sorting and find out which projects they will proceed with.
NVE wants projects that are accepted by the local population and that conflict with reindeer herding as little as possible.
– There will be no license processing without support from the municipalities, says department director Inga Katrine Johansen Nordberg.
They will also require documentation of participation from reindeer husbandry.
– It is intended as a signal to the owners of the initiative that reindeer husbandry must be included from the start, says Nordberg.
NVE does not require consent or completed agreements, but one «sober description of how the wind power operator will remedy the reindeer herding”.
– Our aim is to identify the projects that have the fewest negative effects for society and find the best ones, says Nordberg.
A total of 26 projects have been registered, spread over the following ten municipalities: Alta, Berlevåg, Båtsfjord, Gamvik, Hammerfest, Hasvik, Lebesby, Nordkapp, Porsanger and Vadsø. Some of the projects affect two municipalities, so the sum is higher than 26.
Graphics: NVE
Follows up the power lift
NVE presented the list of the registered projects on Thursday. It is part of following up on the power and industry promise for Finnmark, which the government launched in August last year.
NVE asked all builders to register by 22 April. They then received 21 new messages about wind power, plus one about the expansion of hydropower in Alta. From before, 4 wind power cases are being processed. (See complete list in fact box.)
The 26 measures have a total of an installed power of 10,800 megawatts.
– By way of comparison, and to put it into perspective, there is currently 244 megawatts of installed power in Finnmark, says Ingrid Anette Sandvand-Dahlene, who is coordinator at NVE.
Today, the major bottleneck is the power grid.
– There are limitations to both in Finnmark and up to Finnmark. Today, there is no space to connect to new production east of Skaidi, while there is some space west of Skaidi, says section manager Ingrid Myrtveit.
Therefore, the new projects are seen in connection with planned lines. The most important is Statnett’s application for a 420 kilovolt line from Lebesby eastwards to Seidafjellet in Tana.
Applications have also been made for smaller lines of 132 kilovolts in Berlevåg, and from Adamsfjord to Kjøllefjord and Mehamn.
Reindrifta’s interests must be taken into account from day one in the planning of new wind power plants, says NVE.
Photo: Knut-Sverre Horn / NRK
But even with the planned reinforcements, there will still be major limitations on what can be built.
– In order of magnitude, it will be between 500 and 760 megawatts, depending on the various steps of grid measures as currently placed by Statnett in their area plan, says Myrtveit.
Fear of Sami interests
Both local politicians, business people and organizations followed the online meeting of NVE on Thursday.
Several asked critical questions about the handling of Sami interests.
Among other things, it has been pointed out that the rights to the land have not been clarified. The Finnmark Commission will not finish that job until 2033.
– Why don’t you wait until they have finished their work before you start this, asked an audience member.
– The background is the power and industry promise in Finnmark, which the government has adopted. Against this background, NVE has been asked to prioritize projects in this area, said Inga Katrine Johansen Nordberg.
Reindeer owner Magne Ballovara believed that some reindeer grazing districts would have enormous amounts of applications to deal with.
– Do they get support to manage these amounts from NVE, he asked.
– We don’t have money to support, but we know that support has been put in for reindeer herding through the reindeer herding settlement, for example, said Nordberg.
She said they would primarily limit the amount processed and went to consultation. Also, would make arrangements for everyone to have enough time to answer.
Frode Utsi says no to new expansions of the wind power plant at Raggovidda. Here from a cairn burning that was arranged against the previous expansion.
Photo: PRIVATE
Say no to another step
At least one of the registered wind power projects will face opposition. Construction stage 4 of Varanger Kraft Hydrogen’s plant at Rákkočearru / Raggovidda is not liveable, says reindeer owner Frode Utsi.
– Theyt will never be applicable with construction stage 4. There is no room for that. Da we have to shut down, claims Utsi.
– It is not about money. They have offered us heaps of money. But we will continue to do business. We must have food for the animals and migration routes.
Department director Inga Katrine Johansen Nordberg in NVE will select the least conflict-ridden wind power plans.
Photo: NVE
Concession maybe in three years
NVE emphasizes that they have not made any assessment of the new projects yet. They will do that by June.
NVE will prioritize power projects that are in line with regional plans. The development must also not conflict with the interests of the Armed Forces.
A preliminary timetable is an investigation for the winter, an impact assessment and applications next year, a hearing in 2026, and a license decision in 2027. In the best case scenario.
The power ceiling in Finnmark may cause projects elsewhere in the country to end up a little behind in the queue, NVE admits.
