Sweden risks high power prices in winter, grid operator says

OSLO, Oct 16 (Reuters) — Sweden has a sound supply of electricity for the coming winter season but consumers may still face high prices in the months ahead, the Nordic country's power grid operator Svenska Kraftnaet said on Friday. "The risk of physical power shortages is low, even during cold periods," Director General Maja Lundback said in a statement "The biggest uncertainty for households and businesses is therefore not whether electricity will be available, but what it will cost," she added While northern Sweden has an oversupply of power, the southern regions depend on transfers from the north or imports from other countries to meet peak demand Low hydroelectric reservoir levels in parts of the Nordic region, limited supply in southern Sweden and developments in the European energy markets contribute to uncertainty regarding price trends, the grid operator said (Reporting by Terje Solsvik; editing by Nora Buli) ((terje.solsvik@thomsonreuters.com; +47 918 666 70)