Norway is currently transitioning toward carbon-neutral renewable energies, with energy consumption most likely to increase by 2050. Hydropower is the dominant electrical energy source, accounting for approximately 90% of the total national electrical energy production.  Different legislations apply to large (>10 MW) and small (<10 MW) hydropower plants. While large hydropower plants are owned by the public, small hydropower plants can be privately owned. Most large-scale hydropower projects were developed during an early expansion period between 1950 and 1985.  Since 2000, Norway has experienced a massive boom in small hydropower. Although these facilities are often marketed as “green” and low-impact, they collectively pipe far more kilometers of river per unit of electricity than large hydropower plants. In many cases, long stretches of natural rivers are diverted into underground pipes, leaving only minimal water in the original riverbed, thus putting pressure on local ecosystems. Supervision has not kept pace with development: