European countries like the UK have become too reliant on cheap hydro from Scandinavia

Stop someone on the street in London and ask them about interconnectors and chances are they will look at you blankly. But in Oslo, energy trading through these massive undersea cables has become a major issue. And one with huge implications for Britain.

There is a real chance that Norway will run out of water this winter, meaning it will not be able to maintain electricity supplies to Great Britain. Norway could be forced to restrict exports under new powers which allow them to be restricted if there is a prospect of hydrological shortages. And not just once the shortages manifest.

With elections to the Norwegian parliament on Sept 8, this is a hot button issue – as low water levels lead to high prices for consumers.

Reservoir levels in southern Norway are now well below the 20-year average and heading towards 20-year lows. This is hugely concerning. Norway has almost no pumping capability which means that once the water has been used, it will not be replaced until it rains or the snow melts.

The south of Norway is the main region of tension. This is where the interconnectors to Britain and Germany land, and where the population is highest.

Since these two interconnectors opened in 2021, the region has seen higher prices. The issue of high and volatile prices has led to them becoming an issue of concern among the general public.

Earlier this year, the governing coalition collapsed when the Centre Party left over disagreements with the Labour Party over interconnectors and energy policy. The Centre Party opposed implementation of the EU 4th Energy Package which is a legal requirement, and wants to cancel the interconnector deals with Britain and Germany.

Even the Labour Party agreed to defer implementation of the Energy Package and not to approve any more interconnection in the face of widespread public opposition.

Almost all of the parties competing in the upcoming election are against interconnection promising either no new cables, or the cancellation of existing ones.

Notably, there is consensus that two of the Skagerrak links with Denmark which are coming to the end of their lives in the next year or so will not be renewed, which will cut cross-border capacity with Denmark by almost a third.

This is highly significant – Norway cutting electricity trading with one of its Scandinavian neighbours reflects the strength of public opposition to the cables. But Denmark also acts as a transit country for electricity exports from Norway to Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands, so this move will have a wider impact...