source: https://tinyurl.com/498tcbxc digital worksheets
The news on the electricity front remains bad. Despite some hopes earlier in November that the worst was over, prices over the last few days have been record-breaking. The reason for this is the weather, and that we’re largely dependent on it. Cold, windless days, ice building on turbine blades, and slush-infused rivers have all contributed to apex prices.
The Europe-wide factors that can mitigate this dependency, however, have also faced problems. The restart of nuclear power plant Ringhals 4, that was set for the 31st of January, will now be delayed an additional three weeks according to the latest press release. In addition, it was recently announced that Oskarshamn nuclear reactor 3, which stands for 8% of Sweden’s total energy production, will be offline for needed repairs between the 9th and 18th of December. Half of France’s 56 nuclear reactors are currently offline and being repaired as well: Recent war-inspired inspections showed signs of wear and tear that needed patching up. Finally, Finland’s newish nuclear reactor Olkiluoto is many millions of dollars late and has yet to even start producing electricity.
slush – even hydropower doesn’t like it
There are also other temporary factors that are increasing the current prices, namely ice formation. In the deep regions of Norrland, ice is starting to form on the rivers that supply water turbines. Currently, the rivers are streams of sub-zero slush that can pile up and clog the water intakes. Water power companies cut down on their intake to prevent the buildup which can otherwise wreck infrastructure and/or stop production entirely. In time, when the ice is a nice, stable surface for the rest of the season, waterpower production can increase again.
Unfortunately, electricity taxes will also increase. Thanks to inflation, and because the electricity tax is linked to the rate of inflation, electricity tax will rise 9% starting January 1st. (There’s no escaping this either – air travel taxes will be going up for the same reason come 2023.)
There is, maybe, some light in the tunnel. Water magazines in Norway and Sweden are full again after the fall rains, helping stabilize energy reserves. Gas reserves in Europe are apparently full. The rivers will freeze over. There will be wind, sometimes. Atoms will be split, again (especially if France fulfills its plan to build six new reactors starting 2028). And of the 55 billion kronor Sweden’s Power Net (Kraftnät) has collected via so-called “bottleneck fees,” 18 billion will be doled out to 4.4 million Swedish households in the lower half of Sweden in February. Unless something unforeseen happens, as Ebba Busch, Minister for Energy, Business and Industry, put it. And that is, precisely, the problem. Something always happens. Not least, weather.
