Energy prices in Norway have soared over the past year. Prices are high because of low-reservoir filling levels (Norway is dependent on hydroelectric power), the war in Ukraine and soaring gas prices.

As a result, energy bills have also skyrocketed, despite a government subsidy scheme which sees the state pick up 90 percent of the bill when market prices rise above 70 øre kWh.

Even with the support, readers are finding current energy prices incredibly difficult. Just under 80 percent of those who responded to a survey by The Local said they were finding it “very hard” or “fairly” hard, while 11 percent said the situation was about the same as a year ago.

One reader told The Local that current prices left them and their partner fearing whether they would be able to pay their next bill.

“It’s only my husband and me in the house, and the bill for last month was outrageous. We are now turning off heating, only using an oven (to cook), turning off fish tanks all day, and only having five-minute showers, as anything over that costs 60 kroner. It’s now cheaper to have a bath, we now only bathe if needed and use the washing machine twice a week, and in (the) early hours, so electricity is cheaper. Between 6-8pm, when it’s the most expensive, we don’t turn on any large appliances that drain power in the hope that we can pay the bill for next month,” Sarah Louise wrote.

In contrast, just 11 percent said that the situation wasn’t that hard. Those that said that prices were similar to last year or not that hard to cope with were more often living in areas of the country where prices are the lowest, such as central Norway.

Prices in the north and central Norway are typically much lower than elsewhere as those parts of the country have a surplus, meaning more energy is produced than is needed.

Just under 90 percent of those who responded to our survey said that they had changed their habits to reduce their energy bills.

Vivianne, who lives in Larvik, shared a raft of habits she had changed to reduce energy bills.

“(Using the) heating less, turning the lights (off) as soon as I don’t need them, using the oven to cook several things (at once), charging (the) phone, tablet etc. at night, turning off the TV and unpluging electronics I’m not using. (I) go for a walk when I feel cold, once back inside it feels warmer. (I am) going to bed earlier to warm up the bed, wearing more layers inside and (have) more blankets in bed, she wrote.

Another reader, from Oslo, said that they had tried making consuming more energy when prices are lower a habit.

“Use electricity when it’s cheap and trying to distribute the usage more in off-peak hours,” they wrote.

That reader isn’t alone in managing their energy usage around price fluctuations. Last month, energy firms noticed a change in customers’ habits to adapt to energy prices. Electricity prices in Norway fluctuate throughout the day, typically peaking when more people use the grid and falling when less power is being used.

READ ALSO: How people in Norway are changing their habits to keep energy bills down

One reader from India living in Stavanger told us that they’re trying to save power-intensive tasks, like cooking and laundry, until after 9pm and trying to use less power overall.

Planning their energy usage around dips in energy price was the most common answer we received from readers who’d told us they’d changed their consumption habits. Planning laundry around price dips was the most mentioned example of this among readers. 

Another common change that readers implemented to try and keep their energy bills to a minimum included turning down the heating indoors, centrally, as well as for underfloor heating.

Given that people are lowering temperatures to try and save money on energy, some are also turning to alternative heating sources to keep their homes warm. The Local has previously spoken to experts in both the fireplace and heat pump markets who have said they have seen a huge increase in demand from people looking for alternative ways to stay warm this winter.

READ MORE: 

• What you need to know about having a heat pump installed in Norway
• Could the fireplace be a cheaper heating alternative to high energy prices in Norway?