Response to interpellation 2023/24:233 on permit processes for the expansion of the electricity grid
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
KD argues that the government is working purposefully to simplify and shorten permit processes for the electricity grid 1. KD emphasizes that they are building on positive proposals and that additional investigations have been commissioned to create a good basis for legislation 2. KD argues that the upcoming energy policy direction bill will create a foundation for navigating forward. KD argues that there is no need to wait until 2025 and that more decisions are being made during the current year 3. S argues that the government needs to act faster by using proposals that are already finished 4. S believes that a bill does not solve the long permit processes 4. S believes that it is necessary to take more measures to streamline the environmental review 5.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)
Madam Speaker! We had lunch at the Ministry of Climate and Enterprise last week. At that time, I thought we were going to wish each other a Merry Christmas, but then I was reminded, not least by Member Monica Haider, that we were to meet in the chamber today.
Monica Haider has asked me when the government and I will present proposals to shorten the lead times for the expansion of the electricity grid. I wonder that too, I was about to say, but now I shall explain what we are doing.
A comprehensive expansion and reinforcement of the electricity grid is a prerequisite to enable the green transition. The Government is working purposefully with measures that can simplify and shorten the permit processes concerning the electricity grid. My view is that also the industry actors and relevant authorities are working actively to do what they can to coordinate and shorten the lead times.
Just as Monica Haider points out, the final reports of the Climate Justice Inquiry and the Environmental Assessment Inquiry contain a number of proposals aimed at shortening exactly the lead times. However, it is not correct that the proposals are lying in a drawer at the government.
The Government is still preparing the Climate Justice Inquiry's proposals regarding the electricity grid. The Government has also already commissioned additional inquiries based on proposals submitted by the Climate Justice Inquiry. An investigator has been tasked with reviewing the regulatory framework for compensation upon the granting of rights-of-way in connection with electricity grid expansion, and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has been tasked with producing guidance on the impact on birds from different types of power lines. Furthermore, the Public Health Agency has been tasked with producing guidance for assessing adverse effects on human health resulting from long-term exposure to low-frequency magnetic fields from power lines.
The final report of the Environmental Assessment Inquiry is still being prepared within the Government Offices.
The Government is also of the opinion that there is a need to take a larger grip on the issue of environmental permitting than has been done so far and that it is necessary to take more measures aimed at streamlining the permitting process, in order for Sweden to be able to meet the challenges of the climate transition and secure the business sector's competitiveness. The Government has therefore appointed an inquiry which shall submit proposals on how the permit process according to the Environmental Code can be simplified and shortened by making the process more flexible, efficient, and predictable.
In the budget bill for 2024, the government has included proposals that are necessary to strengthen the electricity system and Swedish competitiveness. This includes, among other things, investments for more efficient permit processes and advanced planning. The government also intends to return to the Riksdag with an energy policy orientation bill - which we long for! - which takes a holistic approach to the advanced energy policy.
The proposition will have two new energy policy objectives: a planning objective and a security of supply objective. The electricity system needs to be planned so that electricity production and electricity grids are built with the right characteristics, in the right place and at the right time to be able to meet the demand for electricity for the green transition.
The Government has also submitted several government assignments to the relevant authorities in the energy sector, which among other things aim to increase security of supply and improve transparency regarding the conditions for industries and producers to connect to the electricity grid.
Monica Haider (S)
Madam Speaker! It is not so long ago that we stood here and debated the issue of permit processes for the expansion of the electricity grid. In that answer, the Minister said that the development of the Swedish electricity system is "one of my main priorities." The Minister also said: "Sweden's international competitiveness and the green transition are based, among other things, on good access to fossil-free energy at competitive prices throughout the country."
On this, we are of course in complete agreement.
The Minister also said that the government will return with an energy policy direction proposal with two overarching goals for electricity supply: a planning goal and a security of supply goal, as the Minister just said.
It is good. It sounded like it would come this autumn, but I find it difficult to see that it will be so given that there are only a few days left of the year. But maybe we will get a Christmas present - I don't know!
A proposal does not solve the long permit processes that we have today. It requires action faster than that. One needs to pick up the proposals that the previous government put forward and which are already ready. It is not enough, but it is a step in the right direction.
We Social Democrats have presented nine proposals for faster permit processes, including:
national interest for energy distribution
mission for the Armed Forces to produce a guidance
shortened permit review with amendment permits as the rule
faster pulling of larger cables
exceptions from prohibitions in the Environmental Code for high-voltage power.
In addition to this, there are a number of proposals that we have submitted earlier, for example the proposition T early municipal position on wind power, which the Riksdag voted down in June 2022, and also the Incentive Inquiry.
To this we can also add the assignments that both the sitting government and the previous government gave our agencies. Just as the minister has previously spoken about here in the rostrum, there have also been proposals from the EU for shorter permit processes.
Are the proposals that the Social Democrats have submitted something that the government can consider moving forward with? When will the direction bill be submitted? In the list of bills on the government's website, it says December, so as said, it is starting to get a bit urgent. The year is almost over, and this is the minister's primary task. When will it arrive?
Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)
Madam Speaker! I begin by underlining that we are moving forward with several of the proposals that the Social Democrats worked on. I think it is unnecessary to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Where it is possible to join forces and move proposals forward, I believe it is good to do so.
Several of the proposals were also received by S during previous terms. For example, as early as 2020, the Energy Markets Inspectorate had proposals regarding improved planning concerning the electricity grid in an attempt to solve the capacity shortage, but it was this government that made the decision on increased energy planning to accelerate the energy transition and increase the possibilities to connect new industries.
So, one could go on the attack here, Madam Speaker, and say that not enough was done by the previous government, but I just want to state that we have now built upon what was fundamentally there and what was positive.
It is the case that the expansion needs to proceed in sync so that the electricity system can be expanded so that electricity can be delivered where it is needed, when it is needed. Otherwise, we will get a situation with members in this chamber - not those standing before me now - who primarily fall back on an argument that we have a net export from Sweden of electricity when we have a surplus.
At the same time, we are at full capacity yet without enough electricity. We therefore have a power shortage, and many municipalities are forced to say no to heavy industrial establishments simply because we do not have enough electricity.
It is this that we are trying to achieve with the energy bill, the energy planning, the energy research bill, and the government mandate on more efficient connection to the electricity system.
It is not enough to only focus on building electricity grids; one also needs to focus on ensuring that we can manage to use the grids that we have. The electricity system has more grids, but the capacity shortage and thus the transmission capacity is still a very big problem.
I am not wearing a Santa hat today. I was earlier in the week. We have talked about autumn or winter for the energy bill. Still, there are a few days left until Christmas. Those who live will see.
Monica Haider (S)
Madam Speaker! Thank you for the answers, Minister! We shall see, as the Minister concluded.
Madam Speaker! The companies and their industry organizations are writing columns, appearing in news and TV broadcasts, and are truly urging the government to proceed with the proposals that are on the table.
Why doesn't the government do it? Everyone who works with the issue is requesting documents.
The first time I interpellated the minister regarding how it is going with the proposals that are ready on the government's table concerning permit processes was on March 7. I asked the same question then as I do now: When will the proposals reach the Riksdag?
The Minister's answer then was that you are working at a high pace, but she did not dare to give any date. In October when we last debated, the Minister still had no date and not today either.
Does the minister have any dates today? Obviously not - the one who lives will see, just as the minister said.
Most who work with the issue do not understand why the existing proposals are not being moved forward. The answer is that they are being prepared in the Government Offices. Furthermore, the government has appointed an additional investigation, Simplified and shortened permit processes according to the Environmental Code. The investigator shall, among other things, investigate how the Swedish regulations can be changed so that Sweden does not impose higher or overlapping requirements in relation to what the relevant EU regulations require, particularly regarding procedural requirements and the possibility of utilizing the exemptions from ordinary requirements that exist. This involves, among other things, how the permit review can be divided in other ways, how predictability can be increased in the permit process, for example through clearer rules for the content of the application, and how the review should be delimited.
Madam Speaker! It is good, but it does not go against the proposals that already exist. The investigation is not due to be completed until December 15, 2024, and that is a whole year away. Furthermore, the proposals are to be referred, and after that, a decision shall be made on them.
Can the Minister answer the question of whether any decisions will be made before this investigation is complete, or will all decisions be made at the same time? Could it perhaps be that there is no agreement within the government base, or what is it actually about?
The Minister has said that we should become the best at permit processes. And the question is: When? The green transition is here and now, and Sweden is at the forefront. The previous Social Democratic government invested in the green industrial transition. Here, the government needs to take the lead. We need more electricity, and we need more power grids to manage this. And it is urgent.
We need more electricity in the short and long term. Therefore, the Social Democrats have presented a proposal for 60 terawatt-hours of fossil-free electricity by 2030. But we also need to both improve energy efficiency and increase the capacity in existing facilities, for example hydropower and nuclear power. There is also a lot to be done with combined heat and power.
We need to join forces so that we do not lose out on the investments that are planned. When will the proposals arrive?
Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)
Madam Speaker! I would still like to assert that a bit has happened since the two previous interpellation debates between Monica Haider and myself. These have, among other things, concerned the assignment to develop working methods and parallel processes for shorter lead times and electricity grid expansion. I want to particularly emphasize the assignment regarding magnetic fields to review the impact they have on people's lives and health, that is, being exposed to low-intensity radiation in this way. I also want to emphasize the assignment to review compensation for the surrender of land in connection with electricity grid expansion. So, certainly, a lot is happening in the area.
Furthermore, there is the question of the permit processes. Regarding the Environmental Code, it is about how we can simplify and shorten them. I also mentioned several of them in my answer. It is not that we are waiting for everything to arrive in a bulk, but we are trying to push things through where possible. But then it is clear that the somewhat holy grail, the energy policy direction proposition, will establish a foundation that will make it a bit easier to navigate forward.
Madam Speaker! In connection with another interpellation debate with another member, I have discussed the question of why we appointed an additional investigation beyond the Climate Justice Investigation. The answer is that I do not believe there would have been any more mines if we had not appointed the new investigation. In that case, it doesn't matter that there have been previous ministers who have said that they love mines, because there still wouldn't have been more mines. That is one reason why an additional investigation has been appointed. One is tired of investigations, but they are absolutely crucial for us to obtain a good basis for legislation that holds up against reality.
To all those who are interested in climate issues and green transition, who care about our planet, who wonder if they can care about the climate and at the same time have more companies that want to deliver more jobs, a stronger economy and a good welfare, I can say that the mines are absolutely crucial. From the mines comes all the material needed for the green transition, everything needed for our mobile phones, for our wind turbines, our electric cars and our batteries. Here, Sweden literally sits on a gold mine for the green transition. We can move away from dependence on countries like China and from countries that use child labor to extract what is needed for our electric cars. It is not a sustainable climate transition.
I still want to emphasize that appointing an additional investigation is not something one does on a whim. We thought there were one or two white spots that needed to be covered. We are now proceeding with several of the good proposals that came with the previous investigation from the S-led government, but we are trying to make them hang together so that we do not end up in a situation where one hand does not know what the other is doing. Part of the base layer is being laid with the energy policy direction proposition, which should be available to us all shortly.
Monica Haider (S)
Madam Speaker! Just as the Minister so carefully points out, it is obviously not only a question of networks but also of mines and other permits in accordance with the Environmental Code. It is naturally important to also look at those.
From the Minister's response, it emerged that the government is of the opinion that there is a need to take a larger grip on the issue of environmental assessment than has been done so far. Furthermore, it is necessary to take more measures aimed at streamlining the assessment, but not only of the electricity grid. It is certainly the case that it is needed.
But I return to my question about why one does not proceed with the low-hanging fruits and some of the proposals that we Social Democrats put forward when we were in government. There is no contradiction between those proposals and the proposals in the new investigation. Everyone is waiting - at least those who are in the industry are waiting.
In the debate on October 24, the minister said that the development of the Swedish electricity system is one of her primary priorities. It is her work and her hobby, which sounds very ambitious and good. But I am becoming a little worried about the minister's hobbies!
The question is what will come out of this? When will the proposals that will make a difference arrive? That is the question that I and many others want answers to. Do we have to wait until 2025? That did not quite sound like the case in the minister's answer, and it would be very unfortunate if we have to wait that long. We need more grid in the near term to manage the electrification and to not miss already planned investments in Sweden. When will the proposals that are now on the government's table arrive?
Energi- och näringsministern Ebba Busch (KD)
Madam Speaker! I answer directly: No, one does not need to wait until 2025. There will be more decisions in the direction that we have already adopted during this year, and it will happen until 2025. But part of this we will have to wait with until we have the complete investigation in place.
I still think I have tried to be concrete. We have made a number of decisions to get started, while at the same time we are working on the long-term lines and look forward to discussing them in the future.
I hope that the government can be quick this year and that we will soon meet in the chamber to discuss the new energy policy direction bill which lays the foundation for a more stable and robust electricity system moving forward, so that we have enough electricity where it is needed when it is needed at sensible electricity prices. It is perhaps the most important step that the Swedish people can expect from us here in the chamber.
Otherwise, I would like to thank you very much for the interpellation and thank you for the concern regarding my hobbies. Unfortunately, I nerd out quite a bit about the power grid even in my free time, but I also have other hobby activities. One can rest easy on that. One of them is spending time with my family, which I hope I will get to do myself during Christmas. The same I wish to Monica Haider and to the rest in the chamber.
Thank you for the interpellation! I look forward to continuing to work with the guiding principles of gathering strength, as Monica Haider herself pointed out.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.