This message means that the government ensures that Vattenfall has the conditions to proceed with its project, says Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari (L).
The park itself has already received the green light, but now the government has also granted permission for the underwater cables. The government is simultaneously holding firm that the company – in this case Vattenfall – will bear the cost of them.
Vattenfall has already warned that the Kattegatt South project may need to be paused. This is due to volatile electricity prices, construction costs, and because the state is not taking on part of the bill for connecting the park to the grid.
No "magical solution"
Previously, another wind farm, Kriegers Flak, was paused due to the calculations not adding up.
It is the company that bears the responsibility for financing its production. The plan is for Vattenfall to establish its operations and then make a profit on it, just like it works for other forms of energy, says Romina Pourmokhtari.
She believes that more nuclear power is needed in the system in the long run to stabilize electricity prices for weather-dependent power production – not subsidies for power cables.
My conclusion is that the cables are not a magical solution to this problem.
Two other decisions
The government's decision also comes with conditions for animals and nature, such as protecting marine ancient monuments and minimizing the impact on commercial fishing.
Politicians in Falkenberg have previously protested against large wind farms too close to the coast. Another park called Galene is planned not far from Kattegatt South, but it is located in the Swedish economic zone and a good distance from land, says Pourmokhtari.
I do not think the impact is that great, and there is a lot of industry nearby that is heavily dependent on this production coming online. I hope that all those who work at companies that are dependent on the electricity see the benefit, because somewhere this has to be built.
The government is also tasking the County Administrative Board in Gävleborg with preparing the application for two planned wind farms in southern Bothnia. It concerns Bothnia Offshore Sigma and Bothnia Offshore Lambda North outside Sundsvall and Hudiksvall.
