2024-05-292023/24:NU14 · p.6NUBusiness & energy
Hydropower
The role and storage capacity of hydropower in the electricity system
What's at stake: Hydropower is central to regulating the electricity system when weather-dependent generation such as solar and wind does not match demand. How the question of storage capacity and hydropower's environmental conditions is handled affects both the reliability of the electricity system and the nature and cultural-heritage interests linked to the watercourses.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether parliament should call on the government, through a formal statement, to specifically investigate ways to increase hydropower's water-storage capacity, or whether that call should be rejected on the grounds that work to preserve and develop hydropower's role is already under way.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee rejects the motions and shares the government's view that hydropower has a special position through its capacity for energy storage and regulable production - a stance the committee judges all parties share. It welcomes the government's preparation of measures to preserve and develop hydropower's role, and considers that questions about maximum capacity and reservoir storage capability reasonably belong within that work. The committee does not want to force through the paused review of hydropower's environmental conditions, since that risks worse trade-offs between environmental and cultural-heritage values on one hand and power-system needs on the other, and therefore sees no reason for further formal statements beyond the work already under way.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 14 (SD)
The reservation (SD) agrees that hydropower's existing regulating and production capacity needs to be preserved and developed, with regard to nature and cultural-heritage interests. However, it points out that the growing share of weather-dependent, non-dispatchable power production means large volumes of electricity are produced when demand is low, contributing to low prices and substantial exports because market mechanisms to match production and demand are lacking. To counter this and increase the resilience of hydropower and the power system, the reservation wants parliament to call on the government to investigate the potential for increased water-storage capacity in hydropower.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 14 by SD.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | Yes | Abstain 0/0/17/7 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| S | No | Abstain 0/0/91/15 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | Yes | Abstain 0/1/14/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Abstain 0/0/19/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| L | Yes | Yes 11/0/0/5 | follows the plan | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 58/0/0/10 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | No | No 0/61/0/11 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
Broke with the party line
| MPCamilla Hansén (MP, Örebro län) | No — party line: Abstain |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2023/24:424 by Tobias Andersson et al. (SD) proposal 1, 2023/24:1351 by Lars Isacsson (S) proposals 1 and 2, 2023/24:2453 by Rickard Nordin et al. (C) proposals 82 and 83, and 2023/24:2693 by Fredrik Olovsson et al. (S) proposal 10.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:424 av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD) yrkande 1, 2023/24:1351 av Lars Isacsson (S) yrkandena 1 och 2, 2023/24:2453 av Rickard Nordin m.fl. (C) yrkandena 82 och 83 samt 2023/24:2693 av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S) yrkande 10.
Riksdag decision: The government proposes two new targets for Sweden's electricity system: a planning target and a supply security target. The Riksdag proposes that the Riksdag shall say yes to the proposal. The planning target means that the electricity system shall provide the conditions to deliver the electricity needed for increased electrification and to make the green transition possible. The target is to facilitate planning to be able to meet an electricity demand of at least 300 TWh in 2045. The supply security target means that the Swedish electricity system shall have the ability to deliver electricity where demand exists, at the right time and in sufficient quantity, to the extent it is socioeconomically efficient. The Swedish National Grid shall be responsible for regular follow-ups of the target. The Riksdag said no to proposals in motions in the energy policy area, including approximately 130 proposals in motions from the general motion period of 2023.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to expand storage capacity for hydropower to balance weather-dependent power production. (SD) — Reservation 14
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan demands conscious and comprehensive work for rich ecosystems, restored nature, and ambitious environmental goals with strict legislation, and that new energy projects be weighed for environmental consequences over their entire life cycle.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands conscious and comprehensive work for rich ecosystems, restored nature, and ambitious environmental goals with strict legislation, and that new energy projects be weighed for environmental consequences over their entire life cycle. Increased storage capacity in hydropower points in the opposite direction, and the counter-proposal's reason—that weather-dependent power gives low prices—runs counter to the plan's prioritization of radical wind power expansion. The assessment is uncertain because only an investigation is requested.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver ett medvetet och heltäckande arbete för rika ekosystem, återställd natur och ambitiösa miljömål med skarp lagstiftning, och att nya energiprojekt vägs efter miljökonsekvenser över hela livscykeln. Ökad magasineringskapacitet i vattenkraften pekar åt motsatt håll, och motförslagets skäl – att väderberoende kraft ger låga priser – går emot planens prioritering av en radikal vindkraftsutbyggnad. Bedömningen är osäker eftersom bara en utredning begärs.
- restore naturedecisive»skapa goda villkor för rika ekosystem, bland annat genom att återställa« (party programme ↗)“create good conditions for rich ecosystems, among other things by restoring”
- ambitious environmental goals»miljömål som följs upp med skarp lagstiftning och praktiskt arbete.« (party programme ↗)“environmental goals followed up with strict legislation and practical work.”
- radical renewable expansion»En radikal utbyggnad av den förnybara elproduktionen är avgörande« (party programme ↗)“A radical expansion of renewable electricity production is crucial”
- environmental review over lifecycle»behöver jämföras i miljökonsekvenser och säkerhet över hela sin« (party programme ↗)“need to be compared in environmental consequences and safety over their entire”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The election manifesto wants to protect hydropower and expand electricity production of all kinds to press down electricity prices.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wants to protect hydropower and expand electricity production of all kinds to press down electricity prices. To investigate the conditions for increased storage capacity, so that controllable power can meet a growing share of weather-dependent production, is in line with that commitment. The party programme's requirement for protected biological diversity is a limit for how such an investigation should land, not an obstacle to conducting it.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill värna vattenkraften och bygga ut elproduktionen av alla slag för att pressa elpriserna. Att utreda förutsättningarna för ökad magasineringskapacitet, så att den reglerbara kraften kan möta en växande andel väderberoende produktion, ligger i linje med det åtagandet. Partiprogrammets krav på skyddad biologisk mångfald är en gräns för hur en sådan utredning ska landa, inte ett hinder mot att göra den.
- protect hydropowerdecisive»Vi behöver också värna vattenkraften och se till att solpanelerna blir fler, bland annat på offentliga och kommersiella byggnader.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We also need to protect hydropower and ensure that solar panels become more common, including on public and commercial buildings.”
- expanded electricity production of all kinds»Bygg ut elproduktionen av alla slag.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Expand electricity production of all kinds.”
- lower electricity prices through more production»Minska trycket på elpriserna genom en snabbt utbyggd elproduktion.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce pressure on electricity prices through rapidly expanded electricity production.”
- protect biological diversity»biologiska mångfalden måste skyddas.« (party programme ↗)“biological diversity must be protected.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme states that hydropower is fully developed and that the last untouched rivers and flowing waters should be protected; what should be promoted is reconstruction and efficiency improvements of existing facilities with increased environmental requirements.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that hydropower is fully developed and that the last untouched rivers and flowing waters should be protected; what should be promoted is reconstruction and efficiency improvements of existing facilities with increased environmental requirements. An investigation into increased storage capacity aims at the opposite and is therefore not supported by the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att vattenkraften är färdigutbyggd och att de sista orörda älvarna och strömmande vattnen ska skyddas; det som får främjas är ombyggnad och effektivisering av befintliga verk med ökade miljökrav. En utredning om ökad magasineringskapacitet syftar till motsatsen och stöds därför inte av planen.
- hydropower is fully developeddecisive»Vattenkraften är enligt vårt sätt att se det färdigutbyggd och därför ska de sista orörda älvarna och« (party programme ↗)“Hydropower is, in our view, fully developed and therefore the last untouched rivers and”
- efficiency improvements, not expansion»främja ombyggnad och effektivisering av befintliga« (party programme ↗)“promote reconstruction and efficiency improvements of existing”
- increased environmental requirements on hydropower»säkrar fiskens möjlighet till vandring.« (party programme ↗)“ensures fish's ability to migrate.”
- restored aquatic environments»återställa våtmarker som torrlagts i snabbare takt« (2022 manifesto ↗)“restore wetlands that have been drained faster”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The plan's ambition for Sweden to become Europe's green battery with robust electricity supply presupposes controllable and storable power, which is what increased storage capacity in hydropower is about.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's ambition for Sweden to become Europe's green battery with robust electricity supply presupposes controllable and storable power, which is what increased storage capacity in hydropower is about. That the issue is investigated thus aligns with the plan. Simultaneously, the plan requires that lakes and watercourses are saved and that local benefit stays in the countryside, which makes support conditional and uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planens ambition att Sverige ska bli Europas gröna batteri med robust elförsörjning förutsätter reglerbar och lagringsbar kraft, vilket är vad ökad magasineringskapacitet i vattenkraften handlar om. Att frågan utreds ligger därför i linje med planen. Samtidigt kräver planen att sjöar och vattendrag räddas och att lokal nytta stannar i bygden, vilket gör stödet villkorat och osäkert.
- Sweden as green batterydecisive»Sverige ska bli Europas gröna batteri och exportera el till grannländer som fasar ut sitt fossilberoende.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall become Europe's green battery and export electricity to neighbouring countries phasing out fossil dependence.”
- robust electricity supply»I Sverige behövs ett ännu mer konkurrenskraftigt och hållbart lantbruk, robust elförsörjning, bättre infrastruktur och fler snabbladdare för elbilar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden needs an even more competitive and sustainable agriculture, robust electricity supply, better infrastructure and more fast chargers for electric cars.”
- protect watercourses»Rädda Sveriges sjöar, vattendrag och hav.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Save Sweden's lakes, watercourses and seas.”
- local benefit from hydropower»Vinsterna från lokal kraftproduktion — som vind och vatten — ska i större utsträckning stanna kvar i bygden.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Profits from local power production — such as wind and water — shall to a greater extent remain in the countryside.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan establishes that hydropower can be developed through efficiency improvements, not through increased exploitation, and that the national rivers and other protected watercourses shall be protected from expansion.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that hydropower can be developed through efficiency improvements, not through increased exploitation, and that the national rivers and other protected watercourses shall be protected from expansion. An investigation of the conditions for increased storage capacity aims precisely at increased exploitation of the watercourses. The counter-proposal's requirements are therefore rejected, despite the fact that the plan shares the ambition for more energy storage.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att vattenkraften kan utvecklas genom effektivisering, inte genom ökad exploatering, och att nationalälvarna och övriga skyddade vattendrag ska fredas från utbyggnad. En utredning av förutsättningarna för ökad magasineringskapacitet syftar just till ökad exploatering av vattendragen. Motförslagets krav avvisas därför, trots att planen delar ambitionen om mer energilagring.
- efficiency not exploitationdecisive»Vattenkraften kan utvecklas genom effektivisering, inte genom ökad exploatering.« (party programme ↗)“Hydropower can be developed through efficiency improvements, not through increased exploitation.”
- protected watercourses protected»nationalälvarna ska fredas från utbyggnad, liksom övriga i lag skyddade vattendrag samt bäckar,« (party programme ↗)“the national rivers shall be protected from expansion, as shall other legally protected watercourses and streams,”
- environmental requirements for hydropower»modernisering ska också innebära krav på att kraftverken lever upp till dagens miljöregler.« (party programme ↗)“modernisation should also mean requiring that power plants comply with today's environmental regulations.”
- investment in energy storage»Ska vi få ner elpriserna krävs att vi bygger inte bara kärnkraft utan också mer sol- och vindkraft i hela landet, investerar i kraftsystemet och satsar på energilagring.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To bring down electricity prices we need to build not only nuclear power but also more solar and wind power throughout the country, invest in the power system and pursue energy storage.”
The election manifesto establishes that hydroelectric power shall be protected, both large-scale and small-scale, and the party programme that the goal is an energy system without electricity shortages or drastic price changes.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto establishes that hydroelectric power shall be protected, both large-scale and small-scale, and the party programme that the goal is an energy system without electricity shortages or drastic price changes. Investigating increased storage capacity strengthens precisely the regulatory capacity the plan wants to protect, especially since the plan sees wind power as merely a complement.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet slår fast att vattenkraften ska värnas, både den storskaliga och den småskaliga, och principprogrammet att målet är ett energisystem utan elbrist eller drastiska prisförändringar. Att utreda ökad magasineringskapacitet stärker just den reglerförmåga planen vill värna, särskilt eftersom planen ser vindkraften som enbart ett komplement.
- protect hydroelectric powerdecisive»Värna vattenkraften, både den storskaliga och småskaliga.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect hydroelectric power, both large-scale and small-scale.”
- avoid electricity shortages and price fluctuations»drastiska prisförändringar, elbrist eller andra betydande« (party programme ↗)“drastic price changes, electricity shortages or other significant”
- support for hydroelectric power»sol och vatten stödjas liksom utveckling av nya förnybara« (party programme ↗)“solar and water are supported as well as development of new renewables”
- wind power only as complement»Vindkraft kan dock bara vara ett komplement.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Wind power can, however, only be a complement.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan's energy policy is built on dispatchable electricity production that functions independently of weather and wind and on increasing dispatchable production and procuring power that strengthens stability.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's energy policy is built on dispatchable electricity production that functions independently of weather and wind and on increasing dispatchable production and procuring power that strengthens stability. Investigating increased storage capacity in hydropower is a direct way to strengthen precisely that dispatchability as the share of weather-dependent power grows. Hydropower's reservoirs are not explicitly mentioned in the plan, hence the derived assessment.
Original (Swedish)
Planens energipolitik bygger på planerbar elproduktion som fungerar oberoende av väder och vind och på att öka den planerbara produktionen samt upphandla kraft som stärker stabiliteten. Att utreda ökad magasineringskapacitet i vattenkraften är ett direkt sätt att stärka just den planerbarheten när andelen väderberoende kraft växer. Vattenkraftens magasin nämns inte uttryckligen i planen, därav härledd bedömning.
- dispatchable electricity productiondecisive(2022 manifesto)
- increase dispatchable production»Det handlar både om att öka den planerbara elproduktionen från kraftvärmen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“It is both about increasing dispatchable electricity production from heating power”
- stability in the electricity system»Upphandla kraftproduktion som stärker stabiliteten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Procure electricity production that strengthens stability”
flags: citat_ej_verifierat
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan is based on predictable electricity production and criticises the fact that the power system has been made weather-dependent through wind power expansion, precisely the imbalance the counter-proposal wants to counteract.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan is based on predictable electricity production and criticises the fact that the power system has been made weather-dependent through wind power expansion, precisely the imbalance the counter-proposal wants to counteract. The party programme states that hydroelectric power together with nuclear power forms the backbone of electricity production, which supports the requirement for an investigation into increased storage capacity. The commitment to preserve untouched national rivers sets a limit on how expansion may take place.
Original (Swedish)
Planen bygger på planerbar elproduktion och kritiserar att kraftsystemet gjorts väderberoende genom vindkraftsutbyggnad, precis den obalans motförslaget vill motverka. Partiprogrammet slår fast att vattenkraften tillsammans med kärnkraften utgör grundstommen i elproduktionen, vilket bär kravet på en utredning om ökad magasineringskapacitet. Åtagandet att bevara orörda nationalälvar sätter en gräns för hur utbyggnaden får ske.
- hydroelectric power as the backbonedecisive»Under överskådlig framtid kommer kärnkraften och vattenkraften att utgöra« (party programme ↗)“In the foreseeable future, nuclear power and hydroelectric power will form”
- predictable electricity production»Sverige behöver satsa på planerbar och fossilfri elproduktion.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden needs to invest in predictable and fossil-free electricity production.”
- against weather-dependent power systems»Där man uteslutande omvandlat kraftsystemet till att bli väderberoende med en kraftig utbyggnad av vindkraften.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Where the power system has been exclusively converted to become weather-dependent with massive wind power expansion.”
- protect untouched national rivers»Våra orörda nationalälvar skall bevaras från« (party programme ↗)“Our untouched national rivers shall be preserved from”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:NU14)
- Committee report full text (HB01NU14)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1250 — Förnybar energiomställning av Martina Johansson och Mikael Larsson (båda C)
- Motion 2023/24:1281 — Långsiktigt hållbar energiförsörjning av Hanna Westerén (S)
- Motion 2023/24:13 — Riktlinjer för svensk energiförsörjning av Björn Tidland (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1312 — Ekonomisk utvärdering av olika former av energiproduktion av Hanna Westerén (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1351 — Korttidsreglering av vattenkraft av Lars Isacsson (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1519 — En grön klimathandlingsplan för Sverige av Elin Söderberg m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1527 — Ett miljövänligt, robust och konkurrenskraftigt energisystem av Linus Lakso m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:1572 — Energi av Adnan Dibrani och Jennie Nilsson (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:1824 — Lagerhållning av elnätsstolpar i trä av Monica Haider (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1935 — Säkrad energiförsörjning genom samordning av Sofia Amloh m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1991 — Rättvisa elpriser i södra Sverige av Jamal El-Haj m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:1994 — Förnybar energi till havs av Magnus Manhammar (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2056 — Inhemsk biodrivmedelsproduktion av Isak From och Monica Haider (båda S)
- Motion 2023/24:2240 — Tydligare handlingsplan för vätgas av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2358 — Energipolitik för hela landet av Rose-Marie Carlsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2405 — Vindkraft av Lars Beckman (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2450 — En förstärkning av det civila försvaret och krisberedskapen av Emma Berginger m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2453 — Ledarskap för klimat och grön omställning av Rickard Nordin m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2456 — Krisberedskap och utveckling av militärt och civilt försvar av Mikael Larsson m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2458 — En folkrörelse för klimatet av Muharrem Demirok m.fl. (C)
Source: The Swedish Parliament