Lysaker, 29 March 2006 Nord Pool has received the following information from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE): The Nordic power prices have soared, due to small amounts of precipitation. Hence the Nordic price level has approached the German price level. Expected forthcoming high prices have contributed to less production from hydro-electric power stations. During the last two weeks the Norwegian power production has dropped with 13 percent. At the same time the present prices seems to stimulate production from thermal power plants. In Denmark and Finland the production has been high in the last couple of weeks. The rise in prices has resulted in decreased Nordic electricity export to Germany. Hence the Nordic net import of electricity increased from week 11 to week 12, since the import from Russia and Poland still is high. Also the Norwegian electricity export is reduced, and in week 12 the export was 60 percent lower than in the previous week. The effective inflow in Norway was also in week 12 less than normal. Still the reduction in the reservoir filling was lower than registered in the last couple of weeks, due to reduced production. During week 12 the level dropped with 3.0 percentage points to 38.8 percent. In Sweden the present level is 26.8 percent after a 2.9 percentage point drop in week 12. ------------------------------- Contact person at the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate: Marit Lundteigen Fossdal, NVE, tel: +47 295 9353