The major delays in the expansion of the Danish electricity grid are due to a number of errors that together slow down the green transition and could cost millions of kroner.
This is annoying Climate Minister Lars Aagaard (M), who will be in consultation on the matter on Tuesday, which most recently came close to costing him his position as minister.
A new report, which was sent to the parties in the Danish Parliament over the weekend, shows that 141 of Energinet's 199 electricity projects are now, on average, 29 months behind the original schedules.
- Energinet must become much better at aligning expectations with their customers, so that they have realistic schedules to work from, says Lars Aagaard to the media outlet Finans.
- I have a clear expectation that Energinet is focusing on designing their organization and project model so that it is more efficient.
Energinet's delays could slow down the production of new green electricity and the electrification that will create the necessary demand.
The statement covers the development from the first to the second quarter of this year. The number of delayed projects has not increased during the period, but the 141 affected projects have on average advanced by three months.
Like Energinet, the Minister of Energy points out that a significant part of the infrastructure company's challenges with, for example, environmental approval and procurement of components come from outside.
Lars Aagaard points out that the government has already put several tools into play, including easier access to expropriation and relaxations in environmental screenings.
However, the political initiatives have continued to work.
According to Energinet, the delays are largely due to external factors that were not predictable.
It was originally the media Zetland that revealed that Lars Aagaard nodded to withhold a press release stating that 98 out of 174 construction projects had advanced. Now the delays and the number of projects have increased.
The massive delays are very worrying according to Climate Minister Lars Aagaard, who apologized in the spring for not publishing the significant delays in the expansion of the electricity grid, even though the press release was almost ready.
Operations Director Søren Dupont Kristensen from Energinet has previously denied that management has lacked an overview of the delays. But he is annoyed that more was not done at an earlier stage to stop them.
- In the unbearably clear light of hindsight, I would have clearly wished that we had initiated more measures at an earlier stage to get a handle on this development, he has told Finans.
The industry organization Green Power Denmark has previously emphasized that if developers of sustainable energy have to wait months or years, interest will evaporate.
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