The “Helgeland Opportunities” scheme had estimated that modernisation of the 50-year-old Røssåga power plants would deliver an energy potential of 1.5 TWh. In close collaboration with local authorities in Helgeland, and the community at large, Statkraft had outlined how the area’s hydropower resources could be exploited in an environment-friendly way, with only minor interventions in the landscape. The objective was to develop a project which could provide a lot of environment-friendly energy, while safeguarding the river system’s most important environmental assets. The project would also provide a major boost to the local economy. 

In the autumn of 2005 the parties which make up the ruling coalition government declared that the new government would protect the Vefsna from hydropower development. Statkraft strongly regrets that the government wished to preserve the Vefsna without first carrying out an impact assessment of the “Helgeland Opportunities” project. Statkraft has merely asked to be allowed to assess all the possible consequences of the potential measures. This would have provided a sound basis for a decision – regardless of whether one is for or against at the outset.