(3/15/2010)
As of 15 March, parts of Western Norway constitute a separate market area for energy. This has been done to ensure that the power lines in the area are fully utilised in order to save water in the power plants’ reservoirs.
The water level in the reservoirs in the area is low, and Statnett considers the power situation as alert. This makes the power system more vulnerable to long-term faults and lack of precipitation than normal. Statnett also maintains this assessment for Central Norway, while the other areas are considered to have a normal power situation.
The main reason for this alert power situation in Western Norway is the cold and dry weather, which has resulted in a higher power consumption and less inflow than normal. The reservoir content in the area is at a low level for this time of the year. While the mean level for the period 1993-2009 for the area at the end of week 8 has been 45.0 per cent, the reservoir is now at 29.2 per cent. This is only slightly above the reservoir content during the winter of 2003, when this part of Western Norway also was a separate market area.
As a result of the tight power situation, the transmission grid may periodically be run at reduced operating reliability to further increase the import to the area. This applies to the entire NO5.
The planned line in Hardanger, between Sima and Samnanger, will improve the transmission capacity between this area and the surrounding areas, significantly reducing the need for this kind of measure in handling the power situation.
The north-western parts of Rogaland, as well as the western pars of Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane will, as of today, constitute a new market area, NO5. The western parts of the former NO1 and NO2 areas are now divided into a separate area. The areas north of Dovre, Central Norway (NO3) and Northern Norway (NO4) continue as before.
Market areas or Elspot areas are limited areas for bidding for purchase and sales of power on the energy exchange. This means that bidding for purchase and sales of power shall be made specifically for each Elspot area for every hour during the next 24 hours. Consequently, the price is not regulated by the authorities, but is a result of supply and demand for power registered on the energy exchange for this market area, as well as the inter-exchange with neighbouring areas.
The five Norwegian Elspot areas are:
Southwest-Norway (NO2), with these borders
- 300 kV line Nesflaten-Sauda
- 300 kV line Hylen-Sauda
- 420 kV line Rød-Hasle
- 420 kV line Rjukan-Sylling
- 300 kV line Vermork-Flesaker
- 300 kV line Tokke-Flesaker
- 300 kV line Hof-Flesaker
- 132 kV line Grønnvollfoss-Skollenborg
- 132 kV line Hof-Skollenborg
- 22 kV line Stanavegen-Fresvik
Southeast Norway (NO1) with these borders:
- 420 kV line Rød-Hasle
- 420 kV line Rjukan-Sylling
- 300 kV line Vemork-Flesaker
- 300 kV line Tokke-Flesaker
- 300 kV line Hof-Flesaker
- 300 kV line Grønnvollfoss-Skollenborg
- 300 kV line Hof-Skollenborg
- 300 kV line Fardal-Aurland
- 300 kV line Vågåmo-Øvre Vinstra
- 66 kV line Klyve-Sima
- 132 kV busbar Litjfossen
Western Norway (NO5) with these borders:
- 132 kV busbar Åskåra
- 300 kV line Fardal-Aurland
- 300 kV line Sauda-Nesflaten
- 300 kV line Sauda-Hylen
- 66 kV line Klyve-Sima
- 22 kV line Fresvik-Stanavegen
Central Norway (NO3) with these borders (unchanged):
- 300 kV line Vågåmo-Øvre Vinstra
- 132 kV busbar Litjfossen
- 132 kV busbar Åskåra
- 300 kV line Verdal-Tunnsjødal
- 300 kV line Namsos-Tunnsjødal
Northern Norway (NO4) (unchanged)
