If your home is without power for more than 12 hours, you may be entitled to standard compensation from the grid company. Payment must be automatic. Check which metering point the outage affected, how long it was recorded and whether payment arrives by the deadline.
When are you entitled to compensation?
The scheme applies to households and holiday homes with a power outage lasting more than 12 hours. It follows the rules on payments for very long outages, often called USLA.
The exact threshold in section 5-1 of the network revenue regulations is “more than 12 hours.” Do not assume that an outage lasting exactly 12 hours automatically qualifies.
This scheme concerns an interruption in the electricity supply. A tripped fuse or a fault in your own electrical installation is a different situation. The Norwegian Energy Regulatory Authority (RME) recommends checking whether your neighbours have also lost power and looking for information from the grid company.
Contact the grid company if the area has no power and you cannot find an outage notice. When the company knew, or should have known, about the outage can matter when calculating its duration. If only your home is affected and ordinary checks do not solve the problem, get professional help. Do not open or repair the electrical installation yourself.
How much must the grid company pay?
The amount is calculated per metering point, not per person living in the home. A metering point is the electricity connection identified on your grid-services bill.
| Connection type | Base amount for an outage over 12 hours | Addition after the first 12 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Household | NOK 500 | NOK 40 per hour |
| Holiday home | NOK 125 | NOK 10 per hour |
The rates, checked on 3 October 2026, are set out in the regulations and explained in RME’s overview of USLA. They are not reimbursement for every bill or item of food you have lost.
Example: A recorded continuous 24-hour outage at a household gives NOK 500 plus 12 × NOK 40, or NOK 980, under these rates. This example uses whole hours and assumes the conditions are met. Ask the grid company to explain its calculation if the log includes partial hours or deductions.
The total compensation for the same metering point during a year cannot exceed the expected grid charges paid for that year. The regulations describe this as expected annual consumption multiplied by the applicable variable grid-tariff charge (energiledd), plus the fixed grid charge (fastledd). A long or repeated power cut therefore does not necessarily mean unlimited payments.
What if power returns and then goes off again?
A short period with power does not necessarily reset the outage. Several consecutive interruptions count as one continuous interruption unless normal supply is maintained for at least two consecutive hours.
This follows section 5-2 of the regulations. For example, if the power is off for eight hours, returns for one hour and then goes off again, ask the company to explain how it recorded the event under this rule. Do not assess each interruption in isolation.
The duration is calculated from when the grid company knew or should have known that the outage had occurred. It ends when normal supply is restored. You may want to save text alerts and note what you observed, but the official calculation must be assessed under the rules.
If the end user is responsible for the outage lasting more than 12 hours, the regulations do not provide a right to compensation. If you caused the outage to last longer, that time may be deducted from the calculation. Ask for a specific explanation if the company makes such a deduction.
When and how will you receive the money?
The grid company must pay automatically within 12 weeks after the electricity supply is restored. You normally do not have to submit a separate application for standard compensation.
Payment may appear as a credit on your grid-services bill. Lede describes this method. Other companies may use a different payment process. Check your bill or customer page, and ask the company where the amount appears if you cannot find it.
The grid company handles this scheme. The electricity supplier sells you power, while the grid company is responsible for the local network. One combined bill may show both. Our guide to electricity and grid charges explains the difference.
If you change electricity supplier after the outage, continue to follow up with the grid company responsible for the address and metering point. Clearly identify the earlier incident so it is not confused with a new agreement or another metering point.
What should you clarify if you rent your home?
Find out who is registered as the grid customer and whether the home has its own metering point. Compensation is calculated per metering point; the number of tenants does not itself create additional payments.
If you have your own electricity and grid agreement, follow up with the company using your customer number and metering point. If electricity is included in the rent or several homes share a connection, first clarify the registration with your landlord. Do not assume you automatically receive a separate standard payment directly from the grid company.
Ask for information about the outage and any payment without deducting an amount from your rent on your own. A question about how a payment is divided between landlord and tenant may require the rental agreement to be assessed; it is not the same as the USLA calculation itself.
Does the standard amount cover spoiled food or equipment?
No. Standard compensation is not reimbursement for your actual costs. A claim for spoiled food, equipment or other financial losses must be assessed separately.
The Norwegian Consumer Council (Forbrukerrådet) explains that the grid company’s liability for financial loss depends, among other things, on whether the fault was within its control. Extreme weather or properly announced outages may matter for such a claim. Do not confuse this with standard compensation for a long outage.
Document the damage, loss and cause if you believe you have a separate claim. Also check your insurance terms without assuming that everything is always covered. Disclose other payments when relevant to assessing the same loss.
How do you follow up on a missing or incorrect amount?
Contact the grid company in writing first. Ask for the recorded start and end of the outage, any periods of normal power and the calculation of the amount.
You could write: “I am referring to the power outage at [address] on [date], metering point [number]. According to my records, supply was off from [time] to [time]. Please provide the outage log and calculation of standard compensation, and state when and how it will be paid.”
RME can assess whether the grid company followed the regulations, including in cases of repeated outages. The Consumer Council refers to the Electricity Complaints Board (Elklagenemnda) for disagreements about financial claims. Follow the relevant body’s guidance after first raising the matter with the company.
For preparation for another outage, see the emergency preparedness guide. SamfunnPrep’s practical tools can help with everyday tasks in Norway.
