Norway: Consumer Council severely critical of electricity sector

The Norwegian Consumer Council (Forbrukerrådet) is critical of the electricity sector. Head of the Council Inger Lise Blyverket says the sector "is founded on pushing and tricking consumers into bad deals". In 2022, there was a 70% increase in the number of inquiries about electricity to the Council, and a doubling in complaints about electricity to appeals board Elklagenemnda, according to Dagens Næringsliv newspaper. Blyverket says the cheating applies to both large and small companies. Toini Løvseth, Head of Production and Markets at trade association Renewables Norway (Fornybar Norge), admits that stricter requirements should be imposed on licensed companies, but does not approve of the demonising of the whole sector.