Norway’s Ministry of Energy proposed NOK 30 million in its 2027 budget to strengthen digitalisation at the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), with the aim of processing power and grid permits more efficiently. The ministry said artificial intelligence could be used for tasks such as checking whether applications are complete. It also proposed additional NVE staff and digital coordination across the electricity sector.

NVE received about 730 notices and licence applications for new power and grid projects in 2025, 50 more than in 2024 and nearly 200 more than in 2022. Much of the increase concerned power lines. The proposed funding and staffing remain subject to budget approval; the announcement gives no start date or quantified guarantee of shorter processing times. It describes AI’s role narrowly as an application-completeness check.