Statnett´s challenges
(10/14/2010)
Statnett has to balance local environmental considerations against global ones. While the local disadvantages represent an argument against the building of new grid installations, the global climate challenge forces the use of renewable energy and therefore a need for reinforcements in the grid.
Statnett aims to secure an efficient, robust and environmentally friendly power system. As regards the climate policy, Statnett’s role is to contribute within the following areas:
- Operating the transmission system efficiently so that the national grid is used optimally. Price areas (power prices reflecting grid congestions) and tariffs that reflect transmission losses in the national grid, represent some of the tools for promoting the efficient use of energy resources.
- Contributing to good market solutions for Europe, so that the opportunities for trade can be exploited as optimally as possible. Laying the foundations to enable the excellent short-term regulation capacity of hydroelectric power to be exploited effectively both in Norway and elsewhere.
- Using system analyses and national grid planning to identify opportunities for the power system and to map the initiatives that are most appropriate for achieving the goals.
- Continuing the voltage upgrading work where it is cost-effective. (Voltage upgrading helps to increase transmission capacity and reduce losses in the national grid).
- Enhancing the national grid where such enhancements represent the best solution, and laying the foundations for the appropriate location of new production and of larger consumption units. Relevant tools are both price signals and tariffs and more plan-oriented tools in cooperation with the sector regulator, Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), and others.
- Acting as a constructive agenda-setter based on Statnett’s system knowledge and expertise. Good, integrated solutions require knowledge, information and coordination between authorities and between public and private stakeholders.
Although we place an emphasis on further developing the grid to create a sustainable energy system, we also place an emphasis on limiting the disadvantages from grid expansion when it is economically justifiable. We search for routes that limit the environmental disadvantages, use camouflage colours where appropriate, facilitate the clean-up of old distribution networks where sensible and wish to promote alternatives to national grid enhancements where appropriate. The overall goal is to contribute to good integrated solutions in cooperation with the authorities, regional grid companies and the market.
