To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to facilitate imports from Norway of renewable electricity generated by hydro-power. [99199]
| EU-15 Trade in goods with Iraq: 1997 to January-June 2002 | ||||||
| Value US$000 | ||||||
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | January to June 2002 | |
| Total EU-15 Exports | 220,199 | 542,165 | 651,532 | 1,038,550 | 1,729,640 | 849,855 |
| France | 24,546 | 85,300 | 77,837 | 129,042 | 591,869 | 212,556 |
| Italy | 5,027 | 37,580 | 72,453 | 242,276 | 327,336 | 148,373 |
| Germany | 126,571 | 244,468 | 300,460 | 361,895 | 301,408 | 203,872 |
| Spain | 5,374 | 14,055 | 29,085 | 57,282 | 92,983 | 37,832 |
| Belgium | — | — | 37,339 | 52,279 | 88,366 | 46,750 |
| UK | 10,492 | 42,099 | 56,899 | 77,174 | 87,825 | 27,846 |
| Austria | 1,490 | 9,671 | 12,341 | 28,740 | 76,845 | 58,677 |
| Sweden | 1,517 | 9,253 | 4,222 | 20,309 | 69,676 | 43,993 |
| Denmark | 7,131 | 15,195 | 8,402 | 20,165 | 39,298 | 17,947 |
| Netherlands | 12,559 | 24,977 | 42,752 | 32,522 | 37,693 | 24,026 |
| Finland | 269 | 1,377 | 6,884 | 7,744 | 8,981 | 3,359 |
| Greece | 188 | 2,040 | 870 | 4,093 | 5,868 | 16,314 |
| Portugal | 113 | 61 | 1,043 | 50 | 926 | — |
| Ireland | 46 | 204 | 949 | 4,915 | 303 | 1,070 |
| Luxembourg | — | — | — | 62 | 261 | 7,243 |
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | January to June 2002 | |
| Total EU-15 Imports | 1,571,605 | 2,091,528 | 3,922,926 | 5,808,776 | 3,183,755 | 678,503 |
| France | 6,260 | 78,332 | 88,430 | 42,531 | 888,243 | 224,752 |
| Netherlands | 173,635 | — | 1,114,705 | 686,149 | 796,171 | 241,363 |
| Italy | 202,673 | 401,046 | 804,817 | 1,682,160 | 605,934 | 60,636 |
| Spain | 439,391 | 507,381 | 623,586 | 1,198,505 | 438,252 | 78,702 |
| Greece | 18,208 | 76,153 | 78,550 | 308,297 | 230,156 | 16,431 |
| Austria | 132,451 | 134,965 | 210,671 | 284,021 | 170,532 | 51,619 |
| Portugal | 71,516 | 118,698 | 196,336 | 161,685 | 52,788 | — |
| UK | 48 | 35,969 | 671 | 94 | 1,252 | 55 |
| Germany | 527,418 | 738,830 | 805,158 | 1,325,241 | 377 | 4,948 |
| Denmark | — | 2 | — | 3 | 26 | — |
| Sweden | — | — | — | 119,931 | 21 | 1 |
| Luxembourg | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Belgium | — | — | — | 159 | — | — |
| Finland | — | — | 3 | — | — | — |
| Ireland | 7 | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Source:
Eurostat Extra and Intra EU Trade
DTI/SU-SA
I understand that National Grid Transco are considering, with Statnett, the Norwegian grid operator, the construction of an interconnector between the UK and Norway that will enable the import of electricity from Norway—and exports to Norway. While this is a commercial project, and not directly a matter for my Department, I nonetheless welcome it as increased interconnection provides greater flexibility and security.I am aware that a high proportion of Norwegian electricity is generated by hydro-power, although from time to time, and especially in periods of low rainfall. Norway is a net importer of electricity, which may be from fossil sources.