norway could limit electricity exports to europe if the water level in reservoirs used for its hydropower stations remain low potentially removing much needed supply from countries already facing energy shortages this winter around 90 of norways power production comes from its more than 1700 hydropower plants but lower rainfall in southern norway throughout the spring and summer has left reservoirs low prompting the country to prioritize replenishing water reserves and securing domestic electricity supply the government said in a statement late monday in practice this will involve control mechanisms that limit exports when reservoirs are low and ministers will work this week to lay the framework to allow this new mechanism to be in place as quickly as possible the government said the country is usually a large exporter of electricity sending around 20 of its production to countries such as the uk the netherlands and germany among others all of whom are more dependent than ever on norwegian energy supply following russian curbs to gas supply but fears of a domestic energy crunch in the coming months have pushed lawmakers to act there is little to suggest that the demanding situation in europe will end soon and climate change means that we must be prepared for more extreme rainfall variations which in turn will have consequences for our weatherdependent power system minister of petroleum and energy terje aasland said i am therefore concerned that we should be even better prepared for such situations in the future he said energy firms have lowered production throughout the summer to limit water use and ensure reservoirs are sufficiently stocked to provide power for the winter months resulting in power production so far this year in southern norway 18 below the same time last year collectively this results in historically high electricity prices and a situation where for the first time in many years we cannot completely rule out a period of electricity rationing in the spring mr aasland said the probability of rationing is low but if the situation does arise it would probably affect a limited area of ​​the country for a few days or weeks in aprilmay and would primarily effect businesses he added to help with the surging prices the government said it would strengthen its electricity subsidy scheme for households to cover the majority of electricity costs over a certain level bring forward the start of the scheme as well as make proposals to help businesses deal with the higher costs