Lysaker, 15 March 2006 Nord Pool has received the following information from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE): Temperatures in Norway were about 5-9 degrees below normal in week 10. This contributed to continued high electricity consumption and increasing prices. The average price for week 10 was 395 NOK/MWh in Southern Norway, after an increase of 21 NOK/MWh from last week. In Middle- and Northern Norway, the average price was 409 NOK/MWh, after an increase of 32 NOK/MWh. The reservoir level in the Norwegian hydro reservoirs fell with 3.5 percentage points to 45.2 percent during week 10, due to less inflow than normal and relatively high electricity production. At present the level is 2.8 percentage points below normal, but 0.6 percentage points above the level at this time last year. Household consumers with electricity contracts directly linked to the wholesale price and a mark-up of 0.025 NOK/kWh had a price in week 10 of 0.519 NOK/kWh. This is the highest price on this contract since January, 2003. Prices on the standard variable contracts offered from week 12 onwards is 0.486 NOK/kWh, after a 0.005 NOK/kWh increase from last week. ------------------------------- Contact person at the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate: Marit Lundteigen Fossdal, NVE, tel: +47 2295 9353