Lysaker, 21 July 2004 Nord Pool has received the following information from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE): The Norwegian power production in week 29 was 1,271 GWh. Not since 1996, has the power production for one single week been as low as in week 29. Plenty precipitation and increased nuclear power production in Sweden at the time being contributes to a relative high Swedish power production. This has again led to a high Norwegian power import from Sweden. In week 29, the total Norwegian net import was 410 GWh. This corresponds to approximately one fourth of the total Norwegian consumption during the week. The energy content to the Norwegian hydropower reservoirs increased with 1.7 percentage points during week 29 and was as of Monday 19 July 65.3 per cent full. The influx to the reservoirs has been approximately 75 per cent of normal figures during the week. The energy content is now 2.7 percentage points above the standard level at the beginning of week 30 last year. In Sweden, the water reservoir level is 68.2 per cent, after an increase through week 29 of 2.7 percentage points. An average of the 15 most reasonable low-cost national power suppliers' standard variable power contract yields a price of 0.334 NOK/kWh in week 32. Meaning the price from the suppliers is unchanged from week 31. ------------------------------- Contact person at the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate: Marit Fossdal, NVE, tel: +47 2295 9353