Sweden Protests EU Electricity Fee Proposal, Halts Denmark Cable Construction and Finland Plans
Sweden has announced a protest against the European Union's proposal for the distribution of massive electricity fee revenues derived from cross-border power transmission. The country will halt the construction of a new transmission cable to Denmark and re-evaluate two related cable projects with Finland, asserting that the EU's proposal is unfair and would "steal" electricity fees from Swedes.
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- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 15:02
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Wu Chi-Lin, Helsinki 11th special report) Sweden and the European Union are at an impasse regarding the allocation rights of huge electricity fee revenues generated from cross-border power transmission. Swedish Energy Minister Ebba Busch recently announced that the construction of a new transmission cable to Denmark will be suspended, and two related cable projects with Finland will be re-evaluated.
At Busch's request, the national grid company stopped the construction of the "Konti-Skan Connect" cable line. According to Swedish public broadcaster (SVT), Busch stated, "The EU should not steal electricity fees from Swedes," adding that the EU's relevant proposal is extremely unfair to Sweden and "unacceptable." She said, "We will suspend the project until the EU hears our voice."
Busch simultaneously initiated a re-evaluation of two cable projects related to Finland: the "Aurora Line 2," connecting northern Sweden and northern Finland with a capacity of approximately 1000 megawatts; and the "Fenno-Skan 3," an 800-megawatt submarine cable originally slated for completion in 2038.
Finnish Environment Minister Sari Multala, in an interview with Finnish financial media "Kauppalehti," stated that the EU's proposal is unfair. She said that Finland, in principle, does not support using these revenues for grid projects not directly related to Finland, and that the EU's proposal still has many areas that need clarification, requiring further discussion.
The "Konti-Skan Connect" cable was originally planned to connect Gothenburg, Sweden, with the northern Jutland Peninsula, Denmark, replacing the similarly named 1 and 2 cables that began operation in 1965 and 1988, respectively. The transmission capacity was to be increased from the current 715 megawatts to 1000 megawatts.
For Denmark, this cable is crucial for replacing aging infrastructure. The two old cables are approaching their end-of-life, and if the new cable project is delayed, it will be difficult to make up for the power supply gap.
The core of the dispute revolves around control over electricity fee revenues. Electricity fee revenue is the income generated from price differences when electricity is transmitted from low-price regions to high-price regions, due to limited transmission capacity. Sweden, with its nuclear, hydro, and wind power, has long been a net exporter of electricity in the Nordic region. Each time electricity is transmitted to neighboring countries, the Swedish grid company collects an electricity fee revenue. Currently, this accumulated amount is approximately 85 billion Swedish Kronor (about 247.4 billion New Taiwan Dollars), with an estimated additional 130 billion Swedish Kronor over the next decade.
The EU's "Grids Package" original proposal required member states to allocate 25% of their electricity fee revenues to the EU for expanding cross-border transmission networks, allowing renewable energy to flow more smoothly within Europe.
In March this year, the EU agreed that Sweden would not need to share this revenue with other member states. However, controversy arose again in subsequent negotiations. According to the Swedish news agency (TT), the EU disagreed with Sweden using the electricity fee revenues to expand power production, only allowing it for grid construction.
Busch criticized the EU's approach as "only treating the symptoms." She pointed out that Europe's real problem is a lack of stable base-load power, not insufficient transmission capacity. Using Swedish money to build more transmission lines would only lead to continued outflow of Swedish electricity and rising domestic electricity prices. The "Aurora Line 1," which connected Finland to northern Sweden and was activated last November, immediately caused electricity prices in northern Sweden to rise due to power exports, provoking strong public resentment domestically. (Edited by Chou Yung-Chieh) 1150511
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(Central News Agency reporter Wu Chi-Lin, Helsinki 11th special report) Sweden and the European Union are at an impasse regarding the allocation rights of huge electricity fee revenues generated from cross-border power transmission. Swedish Energy Minister Ebba Busch recently announced that the construction of a new transmission cable to Denmark will be suspended, and two related cable projects with Finland will be re-evaluated.
At Busch's request, the national grid company stopped the construction of the "Konti-Skan Connect" cable line. According to Swedish public broadcaster (SVT), Busch stated, "The EU should not steal electricity fees from Swedes," adding that the EU's relevant proposal is extremely unfair to Sweden and "unacceptable." She said, "We will suspend the project until the EU hears our voice."
Busch simultaneously initiated a re-evaluation of two cable projects related to Finland: the "Aurora Line 2," connecting northern Sweden and northern Finland with a capacity of approximately 1000 megawatts; and the "Fenno-Skan 3," an 800-megawatt submarine cable originally slated for completion in 2038.
Finnish Environment Minister Sari Multala, in an interview with Finnish financial media "Kauppalehti," stated that the EU's proposal is unfair. She said that Finland, in principle, does not support using these revenues for grid projects not directly related to Finland, and that the EU's proposal still has many areas that need clarification, requiring further discussion.
The "Konti-Skan Connect" cable was originally planned to connect Gothenburg, Sweden, with the northern Jutland Peninsula, Denmark, replacing the similarly named 1 and 2 cables that began operation in 1965 and 1988, respectively. The transmission capacity was to be increased from the current 715 megawatts to 1000 megawatts.
For Denmark, this cable is crucial for replacing aging infrastructure. The two old cables are approaching their end-of-life, and if the new cable project is delayed, it will be difficult to make up for the power supply gap.
The core of the dispute revolves around control over electricity fee revenues. Electricity fee revenue is the income generated from price differences when electricity is transmitted from low-price regions to high-price regions, due to limited transmission capacity. Sweden, with its nuclear, hydro, and wind power, has long been a net exporter of electricity in the Nordic region. Each time electricity is transmitted to neighboring countries, the Swedish grid company collects an electricity fee revenue. Currently, this accumulated amount is approximately 85 billion Swedish Kronor (about 247.4 billion New Taiwan Dollars), with an estimated additional 130 billion Swedish Kronor over the next decade.
The EU's "Grids Package" original proposal required member states to allocate 25% of their electricity fee revenues to the EU for expanding cross-border transmission networks, allowing renewable energy to flow more smoothly within Europe.
In March this year, the EU agreed that Sweden would not need to share this revenue with other member states. However, controversy arose again in subsequent negotiations. According to the Swedish news agency (TT), the EU disagreed with Sweden using the electricity fee revenues to expand power production, only allowing it for grid construction.
Busch criticized the EU's approach as "only treating the symptoms." She pointed out that Europe's real problem is a lack of stable base-load power, not insufficient transmission capacity. Using Swedish money to build more transmission lines would only lead to continued outflow of Swedish electricity and rising domestic electricity prices. The "Aurora Line 1," which connected Finland to northern Sweden and was activated last November, immediately caused electricity prices in northern Sweden to rise due to power exports, provoking strong public resentment domestically. (Edited by Chou Yung-Chieh) 1150511
Choose to stand with the facts, every sponsorship you provide is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA "First-Hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.