Norway's Five Price Zones
Norway is divided into five price zones – NO1 to NO5 – with different market prices based on local production capacity and grid capacity:
- NO1 – Eastern Norway (Oslo): High population density and high consumption
- NO2 – Southern Norway (Kristiansand): Good access to hydropower
- NO3 – Central Norway (Molde): Strong wind power production
- NO4 – Northern Norway (Tromsø): Abundant hydropower, often the cheapest zone
- NO5 – Western Norway (Bergen): Much hydropower but limited cables southward
What Drives the Price Differences?
Hydropower Is the Key
Over 90% of Norwegian electricity comes from hydropower. Reservoir levels — how much water is stored in the dams — are the single most important factor for price levels. Low reservoirs in winter drive prices sharply higher.
Grid Bottlenecks
When production exceeds grid capacity between regions, bottlenecks occur. Electricity becomes cheap where production is high, and expensive where there is a shortage. NO4 often sees low prices precisely because of such bottlenecks.
Export and Import
Norway is connected to Europe via cables to Denmark, the Netherlands, the UK, and Sweden. High European energy prices pull Norwegian electricity out of the country, contributing to higher Norwegian prices.
How to Use the Price Information
SpotPris shows you the hourly price in øre/kWh for your price zone. You can easily see when the price is lowest and plan your consumption accordingly.