The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) has fined Green Mountain AS NOK 2 million for initiating construction at the Heggvin transformer station in Hamar Municipality without the necessary permits.
This facility is intended to supply electricity to a planned data center, with social media giant TikTok reported as one of the prospective customers. The unauthorized construction activities included the building of mast supports, transformer foundations, and control buildings. This breach came to light in January 2024 after a private citizen notified the NVE, which found that the construction had commenced while the concession application was still under review. This prompted an immediate halt to the construction by NVE, which later in February granted the necessary permissions.
NVE's Stance on Compliance
Anne Johanne Kråkenes, section manager at NVE, emphasized the critical importance of adhering to legal and regulatory frameworks and stated, "Starting construction without a permit is a serious violation that undermines the entire licensing scheme." NVE has noted an increase in illegal construction activities and is intensifying its focus on enforcing compliance among energy facility developers.
Green Mountain's Response
Svein Atle Hagaseth, CEO of Green Mountain, said in response to the fine: “We have now reviewed the decision from NVE, and although we disagree with the rationale and background for the fee, we have chosen to see this as an expensive but valuable learning experience and have accepted the fee.”
This incident underscores the stringent enforcement of Norway's energy laws and the increasing vigilance against unauthorized construction activities. NVE's actions serve as a stark reminder to all players in the energy sector of the necessity to fully comprehend and comply with all legal requirements before proceeding with any construction.
