Operators flip Norway-Denmark power cable to favour Danish export

OSLO (Reuters) – Denmark will be able to export more power to Norway, while imports from Norway will be reduced from Jan. 28, reversing the current primary flow direction between the two countries, the country’s grid operator Energinet said on Thursday.

Denmark will be able to export up to 1,634 megawatt (MW) to Norway via the four cables of the Skagerrak connection, while imports will be capped at 1,100 MW, it added in a statement.

This is the opposite of capacities available since Oct. 2020, with calculations based on the wider socio-economic benefit, it said.

Energinet operates the cable together with its Norwegian counterpart Statnett and capacity in one direction has been curbed since 2019 due to faults on the Danish side.

The restriction will last until the end of June 2023, according to data provided to the market.

Before it’s reversed, total capacity on the Skagerrak connection will be reduced to 802 MW in both directions from Jan. 26, the grid operator said.

Norway generates most of its electricity from regulated hydropower, which could be used to balance Denmark’s intermittent wind power, when wind speed changes.

(Reporting by Nora Buli; editing by Nerijus Adomaitis and Frank Jack Daniel)