Today in Norway: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
The GP system in Norway to undergo review, a windfall for Statnett and why low production is a sign energy measures are working are among the headlines from Norway on Thursday.
Norway to review the current GP system
The government has tasked an expert committee to devise measures to improve the current GP scheme, it announced on Thursday morning.
More than 175,000 residents are currently without a GP in Norway, according to the government.
"The current action plan (to improve the GP system) has several good measures, but they have not had the desired effect. Then we have to think again, and we have to take new measures. We cannot continue on the same track and hope that the situation will resolve itself over time," Minister of Health and Care Ingvild Kjerkol said.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said next year's budget would include more funding for the GP scheme.
Part of the expert committee's objectives will be to develop proposals for how the GP system should be funded and organised.
In a survey of The Local's readers on the Norwegian healthcare system, being left on a GP waiting system or struggling to get an appointment were two common issues.
READ MORE: What do foreigners think of the Norwegian healthcare system?
Windfall for Statnett
State-owned Statnett has announced record bottleneck revenues for July. It made around 3 billion kroner in bottleneck revenues in July, taking the total for the year to over 11 billion kroner.
Bottleneck revenues is income that Statnett receives when electricity flows from one area to another. The difference between the prices in different regions goes to Statnett.
Last year, Statnett made 5.3 billion kroner from bottleneck revenues. Around 75 percent of Statnett's revenues have come from bottlenecks this year, according to Europower.
One silver lining for those paying record high prices for energy in Norway is that Statnett will eventually have to return the additional income from bottlenecks to customers.
Low energy production is a sign that measures are working
Historically low energy production in the south is a sign that measures to ensure a sufficient energy supply in the winter are working, Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland has said.
"It is a positive development that shows that the power producers are holding on to water," he said at a press conference on Wednesday.
The low production output comes after the government asked producers to slow down production and provide regular updates on the power situation.
Power production in eastern and south-west Norway fell to a historically low-level last week, according to the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE).
Fears more could slip into fuel poverty this winter
The Norwegian Consumer Council fears that high energy prices could force more people into energy poverty.
"Many consumers will have to save in other areas to pay the increased electricity costs, while others will struggle to cover the increased expenses", Inger Lise Blyverket, director of the Consumer Council, said to the consumer rights group's website.
The Consumer Council said that energy bills could double this year, and the poorest will likely be the hardest hit.
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Norway to review the current GP system
The government has tasked an expert committee to devise measures to improve the current GP scheme, it announced on Thursday morning.
More than 175,000 residents are currently without a GP in Norway, according to the government.
"The current action plan (to improve the GP system) has several good measures, but they have not had the desired effect. Then we have to think again, and we have to take new measures. We cannot continue on the same track and hope that the situation will resolve itself over time," Minister of Health and Care Ingvild Kjerkol said.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said next year's budget would include more funding for the GP scheme.
Part of the expert committee's objectives will be to develop proposals for how the GP system should be funded and organised.
In a survey of The Local's readers on the Norwegian healthcare system, being left on a GP waiting system or struggling to get an appointment were two common issues.
READ MORE: What do foreigners think of the Norwegian healthcare system?
Windfall for Statnett
State-owned Statnett has announced record bottleneck revenues for July. It made around 3 billion kroner in bottleneck revenues in July, taking the total for the year to over 11 billion kroner.
Bottleneck revenues is income that Statnett receives when electricity flows from one area to another. The difference between the prices in different regions goes to Statnett.
Last year, Statnett made 5.3 billion kroner from bottleneck revenues. Around 75 percent of Statnett's revenues have come from bottlenecks this year, according to Europower.
One silver lining for those paying record high prices for energy in Norway is that Statnett will eventually have to return the additional income from bottlenecks to customers.
Low energy production is a sign that measures are working
Historically low energy production in the south is a sign that measures to ensure a sufficient energy supply in the winter are working, Oil and Energy Minister Terje Aasland has said.
"It is a positive development that shows that the power producers are holding on to water," he said at a press conference on Wednesday.
The low production output comes after the government asked producers to slow down production and provide regular updates on the power situation.
Power production in eastern and south-west Norway fell to a historically low-level last week, according to the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE).
Fears more could slip into fuel poverty this winter
The Norwegian Consumer Council fears that high energy prices could force more people into energy poverty.
"Many consumers will have to save in other areas to pay the increased electricity costs, while others will struggle to cover the increased expenses", Inger Lise Blyverket, director of the Consumer Council, said to the consumer rights group's website.
The Consumer Council said that energy bills could double this year, and the poorest will likely be the hardest hit.
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