Soaring energy costs are impacting households across Sweden, with some residents reporting electricity bills nearly three times higher than usual this winter. The surge in prices is attributed to a combination of factors including colder-than-normal temperatures, reduced wind power generation, unusually low water levels in reservoirs, and a latest export line to Finland.
Kamilla Olesen, a resident of Niemisel in Luleå municipality, received an electricity bill of 9,500 Swedish krona (approximately $870 USD) in January. “It affects us extremely much. we haven’t even been able to heat the house,” she said.
To mitigate rising costs, the Olesen family has disconnected their basement heat pump, installed a geothermal system, and is planning additional insulation for their home. They recently purchased a wood-burning stove to supplement heating during the coldest periods. “We haven’t showered at home in a month. It’s not good for your well-being to have to think about whether it’s warm enough to feel physically comfortable, and cold enough to feel mentally comfortable,” Olesen added.
Hannes Olsson, of Märsta, north of Stockholm, also reported a January electricity bill of around 10,000 Swedish krona (approximately $920 USD). “We live in a little house, it’s not a mansion. But we have direct electric heating, and during the winter, it uses a lot of electricity,” he explained.
The Olsson family has taken steps to reduce their energy consumption, including lowering the thermostat, installing an air-source heat pump, investing in solar panels, and replacing the roof and all windows. “The price has increased several hundred percent over the ten years we’ve lived here. We’ve invested so much to try to lower our electricity consumption, but we’re still at these levels,” Olsson said. “It’s not a pleasant expense, and above all, it’s this feeling of helplessness, that you can’t do anything.”
Kristina Eksholm, who also spoke with P4 Norbotten, resides in the village of Matojärvi in Övertorneå with her husband and father. Although typically paying around 6,000 Swedish krona ($550 USD) during the coldest winter months, her most recent electricity bill came as a shock.
“It said 16,300 krona. You get angry, frankly, because it’s so much money,” she said.
Eksholm and her husband, Karl-Göran, have made significant investments in replacing their heat pump, adding insulation, and installing new windows to improve energy efficiency. “We have two fireplaces and a wood-fired sauna, so we don’t have to be freezing inside. We have such cold weather, at least one week every year it’s below -30 degrees Celsius,” Kristina Eksholm explained. “I can afford to pay, but then I have to skip something nice that I would otherwise do. The luxuries disappear.”
