Aagaard after industry meeting: The framework for Energinet must be analyzed

A meeting with key industry players about the challenges facing the electricity grid has now prompted Minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities Lars Aagaard (M) to initiate an analysis of the framework for Energinet.

The meeting comes after Energinet recently acknowledged that the capacity of the transmission grid is so tight in several places that bottlenecks may arise. And according to Lars Aagaard, electrification is indeed developing faster than the transmission grid can keep up. This is what the Minister of Climate, Energy and Utilities writes in a post on his LinkedIn profile.

"Electrification is progressing rapidly, and the transmission grid cannot keep up. That is why we are now initiating an analysis of the framework for Energinet," begins the post by the minister, who represents the state as owner of Energinet.

The analysis will, among other things, determine whether Energinet's portfolio of tasks and the Energinet Act provide the necessary framework and the necessary decision-making power to solve the tasks.

"It is important for me to emphasize that I do not step over the responsibility of the board of directors and the executive board. I cannot and should not set strategy or manage the company. That responsibility rightly lies with a competent board of directors and executive board. As an owner, however, I want to look at whether the framework for Energinet are the right ones." writes the minister.

According to the minister, the government and the Folketing have already launched initiatives, including in the area of ​​acceleration, but further measures are needed. According to him, the meeting confirmed that there is broad agreement on the need to find solutions, and the next step is now to ensure a solid analytical basis.

The meeting was attended by Kim Mortensen, CEO of Dansk Fjernvarme, Anders Stouge, Director of Regulation at Norlys, Flemming Nør-Pedersen, Director of Agriculture & Food, Troels Ranis, Deputy Director of the Confederation of Danish Industry, as well as Malene Mortensen and Ulrich Bang, both from the Confederation of Danish Industry, and Kristian Jensen, CEO of Green Power Denmark.

Green Power Denmark: Build, build, build

The latter also writes in a post on LinkedIn that he is happy with the content of the meeting.

"I am really happy with the meeting that Green Power Denmark and other organizations has had with Lars Aagaard about the situation with the lack of transmission grid. This shows that the minister takes the problems seriously and is ready to act here and now," writes Kristian Jensen.

Green Power Denmark has therefore proposed an emergency plan that, among other things, will speed up the expansion, reduce repeated recalculations of projects and put new technical solutions into use. At the same time, the organization is calling for political support for faster decisions and construction laws in the areas where the capacity problems are greatest.

"This is a situation that calls for urgent action from Energinet - and a strong political commitment," writes Kristian Jensen. It further states:

"Energinet must stop recalculating projects every time there are minor changes. The capacity is already necessary, and the need will not disappear. Quite the contrary. Therefore, the message is simple: build, build, build."

The Green Power Denmark director also points to the need for a more streamlined Energinet with a clear focus on the core tasks. According to the organization, this means that Energinet concentrates on the overall transmission connections, including the 400 and 220 kV grid, as well as robust international connections and a balanced electricity system. At the same time, the organization assesses that the grid companies are ready to assume greater responsibility for the overall electricity grid.