Energy and Water Resources Department

The Energy and Water Resources Department’s main objective is to ensure sound management, in both economic and environmental terms, of water and hydropower resources, other domestic energy sources and energy use. The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) is an agency of the MPE, responsible for the management of energy and water resources in mainland Norway. The departement is responsible in the Ministry for the state owned enterprise Statnett SF.

The department consists of the following sections:

• Section for Grid and Market

• Section for Energy use and Local energy production
• Section for Energy Licenses
• Section for Water Resources and Natural Hazards
• Section for Energy Analysis
• Section for Energy and Water Resources Law

The department consists of the following sections

• Section for Grid and Markets

  Section for Grid and Markets is responsible for facilitating a well-functioning power market and efficient operation, use and development of the electricity grid. Regulation of grid companies and security and emergency preparedness in the power sector are also part of the section's area of responsibility.

• Section for Energy use and Local energy production

  Section for Energy use and Local energy production is responsible for facilitating efficient use of energy and local energy production. Regulation of grid tariffs, end-user markets for electricity and heat, follow-up of RME, and ownership of Statnett SF are also part of the section's area of responsibility.

• Section for Energy Licenses

  The section is responsible for the licensing of wind power, solar power, power grids, and district heating under the Energy Act. General issues related to the development of renewable energy are also within the section’s area of responsibility.

• Section for Water Resources and Natural Hazards

  The section is responsible for the licensing of new hydropower, changes to existing licenses, as well as issues related to the development of hydropower, aquatic environments, and the protection of rivers. The section is also responsible for coordinating the management dialogue with the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), and for following up on NVE’s work to prevent natural hazards.

• Section for Energy Analysis

  The section's work area includes general energy policy issues and cordination of overreaching energy issues. The section have responsibility for energy analysis, including development of method tools in the energy sector, analysis of the development of the power and energy system in the short and long term, assessments of how different instruments affect the energy sector and socioeconomic assessments of concrete measures in the energy field. The section also has responsibility for coordinating EU / EEA affairs in the department, as well as horizontal regulations in the EU area.

• Section for Energy and Water Resources Law

  The Section is responsible for regulatory developments in the domestic energy and water resources legislation. Relevant legislation is the Waterfall Rights Act, the Water Course Regulation Act, the Water Resources Act, the Energy Act, the Natural Gas Act, the Ocean Energy Act and the Act on Electricity Certificates, with supplementary regulations. The Section also has tasks related to the implementation and follow-up of EEA legal obligations, legal interpretation and the handling of public consultations within the Department's area.