Growing opposition to controversial power line

The opposition to the controversial plans for a 420Kv power line to be built along and across the scenic Hardangerfjord in Western Norway continues to grow, across party lines.

The Norwegian government has given final approval, but the much-debated plan has been opposed by local authorities as well as environmental groups. Hovever the Government says the approval is final, and cannot be appealed.

But the Liberal Left Party has now announced that it will propose a change in the Energy Act, to ensure more use of subsea cable instead of land line in vulnerable and scenic areas like Hardanger. Party leader Trine Skei Grande takes it for granted that the building of the new line will not be started before the plans have been reconsidered once again.

The last ones to join the protests against the so-called "monster masts" along the Hardanger fjord, are several former top leaders within Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's own Labour Party.

Former environmental minister Thorbjørn Berntsen says to the newspaper VG that it will be a political strain on the Labour Party if the landline is built. Former finance minister Per Kleppe says he doubts that "the Prime Minister from Oslo and the Energy Minister from Telemark" have enough insight into the local geography of Hardanger to grasp which environmental consequenses their choice of line technology will have.

(NRK)

Tuesday, 03 August 2010 06:52