Reduced traffic and latest news

The latest Vestfold / Telemark news from the past 48 hours: Jernbanedirektoratet is extending the reduction in departures on the Sørlandsbanen until 14 February 2027. Statnett has announced new rules for data centres, and the Naturvernforbundet has elected Per-Erik Schulze from Kragerø as its chair. In culture, Telemark’s rappers have been named “revelation of the year”.

Vestfold / Telemark news: reduced traffic on Sørlandsbanen until February

Jernbanedirektoratet has agreed to extend the reduction in the number of departures on Sørlandsbanen until 14 February 2027, according to the agency in a statement reported by NRK Vestfold / Telemark. The line, which runs through Telemark, is experiencing cancellations and reduced punctuality due to breakdowns on type 73 trains.

This summer, Jernbanedirektoratet management had agreed to fewer departures so that the operator Go-Ahead could withdraw trains from service for maintenance. The need for maintenance remains substantial, and the company is having difficulty obtaining spare parts. Management also states that the operator must report on the progress of the matter (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

“We do not want to reduce the number of departures, but we see that this reduction has brought greater stability to the train service for passengers,” says Erik Lund, department director at Jernbanedirektoratet (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

Data centres: Statnett tightens the rules

Statnett has announced new rules governing data centres. “The measures are necessary to ensure reasonable operation of the power system,” the grid operator writes in a press release (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

Norwegian data centres consumed 3.2 terawatt-hours of electricity last year, four times more than three years ago, according to a report by Menon Economics presented by the government in October. They also account for about half of the electricity reserved for new grid projects, according to NTB (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

The government held a press conference on the subject on Monday, attended by Digital Minister Torgeir Micaelsen and Energy Minister Terje Aasland. The main measure announced is the launch of work on a concession regime imposing requirements on data centres being established (NRK Vestfold / Telemark). The Local Norway adds that Norway will support data centres “we really need”.

Environment: a leader from Kragerø at the helm of the Naturvernforbundet

Per-Erik Schulze from Kragerø was elected new president of the Naturvernforbundet at the assembly over the weekend, according to the organisation in a press release (NRK Vestfold / Telemark). He has worked for the federation since the 1990s and is a marine biologist by training.

In recent years, he has worked on marine environments, environmental pollutants, plastic, waste and aquaculture. “It is an honour to lead this important and inclusive organisation, which has such long and proud traditions,” he says (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

Culture: Telemark rappers named “revelation of the year”

Rappers from Telemark have been named “revelation of the year”. During a concert, Vinni was surprised by Jens Stoltenberg and Bertine Zetlitz (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

23 years ago, the rapper, then a member of the group Paperboys, won the Spellemannprisen in the hip-hop category, an award already presented by Stoltenberg, then leader of the Labour Party, and by Zetlitz. The group had been awarded for its debut album, “No Cure for Life”, and then for its third album, “When Worlds Collide” (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

“I think all human beings simply want to be seen. And it is always nice to be recognized and seen for what you have done. I became happier than I thought I would,” Vinni said after receiving the award (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

Society: A young man from Svarstad recounts racial slurs

In Vestfold, 19-year-old Samuel Kapeh Høgsveen Paila tells NRK Vestfold / Telemark about an October evening in Svarstad, his home municipality. On entering a nightclub where he was meeting friends, a fellow patron directed a racial slur at him. The young man, who now lives in Oslo, where he works and plays elite volleyball, explains that he has heard this type of language all his life because his mother is Norwegian and his father is from Sierra Leone.

“I said that I didn’t like the N-word, and it’s not acceptable to me,” he says (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

📌 Local briefs

A group viewing of homes has been cancelled: a young couple reached an agreement before the viewing (Tønsbergs Blad).

A dog was attacked while being walked, as its owner was looking at his phone (Tønsbergs Blad).

Bus drivers are issuing a warning and believe lives will be lost (Tønsbergs Blad).

The authorities are asking the developer Selvaag Bolig to clean up toxic substances at a site; the company says it wants to wait (Tønsbergs Blad).

A new retail outlet opens its doors on Saturday in Telemark (Telemarksavisa).

Several residents of Telemark have been without internet and television since Friday, reports Telemarksavisa.

Sources: NRK Vestfold / Telemark, Tønsbergs Blad, Telemarksavisa, The Local Norway — Period: 09 November 2026 and 10 November 2026