Lysaker, 6 January 2010 Nord Pool has received the following information from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE): Highest power consumption since 2001 The Norwegian power consumption was 3,272 GWh in week 53. It is the highest consumption of a week since the winter of 2001. Cold weather explains the high consumption. The coldest weather was in Southern-Norway. In Oslo, the average temperature was -11.5 degrees celsius this week. Although the cold weather contributed to a higher consumption than the year before in the lasts week of 2009, the total year consumption has been significantly lower than the year before. If we compare the consumption of week 01/52 in 2009 with the same period in 2008, there has been a decrease of 6.8 TWh. Adjusted to normal temperatures the decrease is 8.2 TWh. More than half of this decrease is explained by lower consumption in power intensive industry. http://www.statnett.no Prognosis from Statnett>> ------------------------------- Contact person at the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate: Marit L. Fossdal, NVE, phone: +47 2295 9353 Tor Arnt Johnsen, NVE, phone: +47 9302 4238