When Erna Solberg launched the Langskip project, CO2 from the incineration plant at Klemetsrud outside Oslo and from Norcem’s cement factory at Brevik was to be transported by boat and deposited in the seabed off Karmøy. The price was an astronomical NOK 25 billion. That was in 2020. Now Hafslund says they have to put Klemetsrud on hold. It will be too expensive.

Our clear ambition is still to establish carbon capture at the waste incineration plant at Klemetsrud, but we have to adjust our path to the goal, says managing director Knut Inderhaug at Hafslund Oslo Celsio in a press release.

An updated estimate shows that a sharp increase in the price of equipment deliveries due to inflation, geopolitical instability and a reduced krone exchange rate will cause the project to exceed the budget of NOK 5.55 billion.

NRK mentioned a price of NOK 9 billion.

The total budget for the prestigious project has so far been NOK 9.2 billion.

Now the costs must come down. This means that the work is suspended. They say it may resume next year. The “goal” is for completion in 2027, however, this is not a strong target. It does seem as if Klemetsrud has been put on hold.

We are now entering a cost-cutting phase, this involves negotiations with our suppliers, so are not publishing any figures right now, says Inderhaug.

Industry councillor Rina Mariann Hansen (Ap) informed the finance committee in the city council about the status through a written briefing on Wednesday morning.

The job now is primarily to reduce costs and I am informed that the company is undertaking a full review to achieve this. I believe this is the right decision even if it causes a delay, writes Hansen in an email.

For the time being, she will not ask the city council for more money. (NTB)

It seems to haunt the whole of Langskip.