Two letters to the editor in Dagens Nyheter spark debate on electricity taxes in Sweden. Lars Holmberg proposes removing tax breaks for data centers to benefit self-sufficient municipalities, while Anna Jerdén criticizes the abolition of solar panel support.
In a letter published on December 5, 2025, Lars Holmberg argues for reforming the energy tax. He proposes removing the reduced energy tax for high consumers like Facebook's data centers, which pay only 0.6 öre per kilowatt-hour (kWh) compared to 43.9 öre per kWh for households and other businesses. According to the Swedish National Audit Office, this costs the state about 18 billion kronor this year. Instead, the funds should benefit municipalities with their own nuclear power, wind power, hydropower, or battery storage, exempting them from energy tax if self-sufficient on an annual basis. For electricity areas 1–4, he recommends self-sufficiency, with taxes on imported electricity for deficits. This would give municipalities choice and enhance electricity preparedness, Holmberg writes.
Meanwhile, Anna Jerdén warns in another letter from the same day of the consequences of the Tidö parties abolishing the so-called '60-öringen' at year-end. This 60 öre per kWh tax reduction has supported solar power production, but its removal will force about 250,000 villa owners to pay to deliver electricity to the grid during summer, when surpluses often lead to negative prices. Jerdén demands that solar producers not pay when prices go below zero. As a comparison, she notes the government wants to guarantee new nuclear power 80 öre per kWh, and warns that villa owners may dismantle their solar panels if the changes take effect.
These letters highlight tensions in Swedish energy policy regarding taxes and self-sufficiency.