© Salfjord
The confirmation ensures the project will be supplied with power from May 2028, securing Salfjord’s timeline for developing the future of aquaculture with the establishment of one of Norway’s largest industrial projects in Aure.
The approval, granted by the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) for the construction of a new transformer station, confirms that grid company Mellom AS will be able to supply power to Salfjord I – Tjeldbergodden. Power supply was on the critical path for the facility, and this clarification provides the predictability needed for planning the construction and the stocking of the first fish.
"The confirmation of when Salfjord can start production is a crucial milestone for the investment decision. This gives us and our investors the necessary predictability to carry out the capitalisation of the project. This opens for concrete dialogue with long-term industrial and private investors who wish to participate in realizing one of Norway’s largest industrial projects at Tjeldbergodden. Interested parties can contact us for more information about investment opportunities," said Jan Harald Hauvik, chair of the board of Salfjord, in a press release.
Project background and capacity
Salfjord requested grid connection for power supply in April 2018. Capacity queues and processes for grid development mean that electrification of larger industrial projects is time-consuming in Norway. Establishing power supply to a facility of Salfjord’s size requires coordination with Statnett as the operator of the national transmission grid and the regional grid company Mellom AS.
Statnett formally allocated grid capacity to Salfjord in March 2025, and full capacity of 55MW will be available in 2028 when the necessary upgrades to the transmission grid are completed. The NVE approved Mellom AS’s concession application for the establishment of the transformer station at Tjeldbergodden in October 2025. The construction will make electricity physically available for one of Norway’s largest industrial projects.
"This is the last tick in a long series of important milestones that have been achieved. The clarification of the timing for power access gives us confidence in the schedules for Salfjord I – Tjeldbergodden, where the construction of the Oceanfront fish farming facility with closed operations will ensure good living conditions for the fish and minimize impact on the environment and wild fish. We look forward to contributing to innovation and value creation in Norwegian aquaculture," said Hans Ramsvik, chief executive officer of Salfjord.
The mayor of Aure, Henning Torset, added: "The establishment of Salfjord’s facility at Tjeldbergodden is very important for Aure municipality and the surrounding region. That the facility has now received the power allocation it needs is good news. The founders behind Salfjord have put in a lot of work to bring the project to where it is today."
