SVT Nyheter has asked the financial managers in all the country's municipalities how they view the rising electricity prices and the municipality's finances.   

Of the roughly 200 municipalities that responded to the survey, 42.4 percent believe that the economic situation looks bad, or even very bad, ahead of winter.

Just as many believe that the price of electricity affects the financial situation.

Worry about being forced to close

In 20 municipalities, there is concern that they will not be able to keep sports halls, ice rinks and swimming pools open.

In Filipstad, Grums and Sala, that concern is very great.

In nine municipalities, it is believed that the situation is so serious that it is not certain that the municipality will be able to keep all its operations going - Sollentuna municipality assesses the possibility as "very bad".

- There is great concern about the development of energy prices, general inflation and increased pension costs over the next few years.

What we know is that the municipality will have a strained economy and we need to look over our costs, says Sollentuna municipality's budget manager Jonas Sundström and continues: 

- We will do everything we can not to close down any business, as it is important for our citizens in the municipality.

Increase of 900 percent

But more municipalities than Sollentuna are having a tough time.

In Ydre municipality, the forecasts show an increase in electricity prices from 50 öre to 450 öre per kilowatt hour - an increase of 900 percent.

Falu municipality expects a cost increase of SEK 19 million. 

The government has previously suggested that authorities should review how to save on electricity.

The authority for social security and emergency preparedness, MSB, and Swedish grid network say that private individuals must also start saving electricity to alleviate the winter's electricity crisis.

If you ask the municipalities about their opportunities to save on electricity, it does not look good: over half, 56.2 percent, say that they have fairly poor or very poor opportunities to reduce electricity consumption.  

Several municipalities believe that political decisions are required to achieve a result.

"May raise taxes"

- The municipalities are doing everything to keep core operations running.

If that doesn't work, they can raise taxes, says Annika Wallenskog, chief economist at SKR, Sweden's municipalities and regions.



SVT Nyheter has searched Energy Minister Khashayar Farmanbar (S) without success.