Energy, Jobs and Local News

Here is an overview of the latest Vestfold and Telemark news from 28 and 29 October 2026: electricity prices are weighing on businesses, a Tønsberg player secures more than 300 jobs, and Larvik Håndballklubb loses its top scorer. Local coverage also includes Storm Boelo, the trails of Bøkeskogen and a decline in elk.

Vestfold og Telemark: Energy prices hit bakeries

In Flatdal in Telemark, Aasmundsen bakery operations director Mogens Iversen fears for electricity prices this winter. Production requires large amounts of power, and the monthly bill can reach NOK 100,000, reports NRK Vestfold / Telemark. If prices rise above last winter’s levels, the bakery will have to make cuts elsewhere, as electricity remains an essential expense, according to M. Iversen.

The company has already shut down a large one-off oven. “We cannot use it today. It is unique in our industry, but it is sad when electricity is so expensive that we cannot use it,” he tells NRK Vestfold / Telemark. Investments are being prepared, but they must wait because of electricity prices.

In Vestfold, Tønsbergs Blad reported on Thursday 29 October that a business player is securing more than 300 jobs in Tønsberg and committing to ten more years. The headline published at 00:00 gives neither the company’s name nor its sector. The report places employment on the same level of priority as energy on the local agenda.

Sport: Maja Furu Sæteren leaves Larvik for Denmark

Larvik Håndballklubb has lost its top scorer. Maja Furu Sæteren, 23, from Kragerø, has signed a three-year contract with the Danish club Nykøbing F. Håndboldklub, starting in the summer, according to NRK Vestfold / Telemark. “I got a very good impression of NFH and felt that the club might suit me well. Development is important to me,” she says on the club’s website.

Since joining Larvik in 2020, the player has scored more than 1,200 goals. In the 2023-2024 season, she became the top scorer in the elite league’s history with 234 goals, a record. Her departure comes as the Vestfold club continues to supply athletes to the top level. The current season is to serve as a transition before she joins the Danish championship.

Environment: Trails closed at Bøkeskogen after Storm Boelo

The autumn storm “Boelo” hit Vestfold and Telemark last weekend. Ferry departures were cancelled, power was cut off and masses of water covered roads, reports NRK Vestfold / Telemark. In Larvik, several trails in Bøkeskogen are closed. Leif Werner, who is in charge of the Bøkeskogen og Kilens Venner association, says at least ten trees have fallen in this protected forest. “It is very sad. They are large trees. They can live for 300 to 400 years,” he says.

The episode recalls the damage caused by Storm “Amy” last year, when around 100 trees fell. Many of those trees are still on the ground. “Unfortunately, a lot of what was not cleared away remains in place,” explains M. Werner. Beech roots do not extend very deep because the trees grow on a moraine, making them vulnerable to strong winds, according to NRK Vestfold / Telemark.

In Tønsberg, Tønsbergs Blad reported on Thursday 29 October that Miljødirektoratet has concluded it will not compel Esso to clean up toxic substances in the sea. The headline provides no details on the quantities or the deadline for any possible follow-up.

Wildlife: Elk numbers decline around Porsgrunn

In Porsgrunn, hunter Hans Kristian Halvorsen has noticed an absence of game. “There are no elk left at all,” he tells NRK Vestfold / Telemark. Silence dominates around the campfire of the Bergsbygda sør hunting team. It has been five years since this group last took an elk. The last animal killed was nearly dead, without fur and with decomposed organs, according to his account.

Over the past ten years, the veterinary institute has received reports from almost every part of the country, according to NRK Vestfold / Telemark. They show that fewer elk calves are being born. Many animals die, and those that survive are often small. The situation concerns hunters in Telemark, who mention a possible listing of elk on the red list. No decision has been announced in the sources consulted.

📌 Local briefs

A fire was reported in Porsgrunn on Wednesday 28 October, according to Telemarksavisa. The headline published at 22:00 gives no damage report.

Telemarksavisa reports that residents risk substantial fines for illegal apartments and must leave the properties. The headline specifies neither the municipality nor the number of people involved.

In Tønsberg, ten people signed up for a renovation project in record time, according to Tønsbergs Blad. The same newspaper reports that an event has repeatedly sold out, without specifying its nature in the headline.

This overview of Vestfold and Telemark news covers the period from 28 to 29 October 2026. Energy, employment, sport and the environment dominate the selection, while local briefs are grouped at the end of the article.

Sources: NRK Vestfold / Telemark, Tønsbergs Blad, Telemarksavisa — Period: 28 October 2026 and 29 October 2026