Øygarden

Overview

The municipality hosts critical national grid infrastructure including Kollsnes and the new Øygarden transformer station, which serve as connection points for offshore petroleum platforms and emerging clean energy projects. Significant consumption demand is building around Kollsnes KRA/TRA, with reserved queue capacity for petroleum electrification, CO2 capture (Northern Lights phase 2), hydrogen production, and carbon removal. On the production side, the Wind Catching Demo offshore wind project (250 MW concession, 40 MW in queue) represents an innovative floating wind technology being tested in local waters.

Recent Activity

In August 2026, NVE confirmed the concession (Konsesjon gitt) for BKK's new 250 MVA transformer at Kollsnes transformer station, improving supply security for existing major consumers including the Troll A platform. A complaint from Statnett regarding the reclassification deadline has been forwarded to the Ministry of Energy.

Key Substations

Municipality Stance

Øygarden appears receptive to energy development, hosting a dense concentration of national grid infrastructure, petroleum electrification projects, and emerging offshore wind and clean energy technologies. No evidence of active municipal opposition; the municipality is integral to Statnett's west-coast grid reinforcement strategy.

Outlook

Øygarden is positioned as one of western Norway's most strategically important energy municipalities. The completion of the new Øygarden transformer station and the planned 420 kV Samnanger–Øygarden line will significantly expand grid capacity, unlocking headroom for the substantial queue of industrial consumers at Kollsnes. The Wind Catching Demo project could establish the area as a testing ground for next-generation floating offshore wind technology. Two queue withdrawals (Climeworks 50 MW, Tresmarka 20 MW) indicate some attrition among prospective consumers, but the remaining reserved positions represent a robust and diverse pipeline. Developers should monitor the Samnanger–Øygarden line progress and available capacity at Kollsnes KRA/TRA, which is the dominant connection point.