The electricity produced in northern Sweden is locked up. Only a small part reaches south of Norrland where the need is greatest. The consequences are that prices are skyrocketing in the southern parts of the country.
In Luleå, electricity costs 12.67 öre / kWh - while the price in Malmö lands at 84.28 öre.
- It is very, very unusual, especially in the summer, says Niclas Damsgaard, who is the chief strategist for the electricity market at Svenska Kraftnät, to TT.
Started backup power plantOn Wednesday, Sweden imported electricity from both Denmark and Germany, and the reserve power plant in Karlshamn was started. The power plant fires with oil and normally only starts up during the winter.
The Swedish Power Agency explains that four of Sweden's seven nuclear power plants have been shut down for maintenance, and then the electricity supply from the north must be interrupted to create stability in the grid.
- It's about voltage stability. We cannot transfer anything if we do not have stability in southern Sweden, ”Niclas Damsgaard told SVT.
"It doesn't blow"Damsgaard explains that the lack of wind also creates problems.
- It doesn't blow. Wind power production is very low in southern Sweden.
Svenska Kraftnät has now paid SEK 300 million for the Ringhals 1 nuclear power plant to open early, already on July 1, thereby helping to stabilize the network. Ringhals 1 was previously scheduled to start in the fall.
- We saw that prices would be very low during the summer, with expected unprofitable production, says Mats Ladeborn, responsible for the strategic issues surrounding nuclear and hydroelectric power at Vattenfall, to TT.
- But now we got an agreement that means it's on its way up again.
To be correctedSvenska Kraftnät expects the measures to lower electricity prices in southern and central Sweden:
- Both nuclear power generation comes in, but also if there is a weather change with more windy weather, says Niclas Damsgaard.