Electric buses, snow warning and new A9 regiment

The electric buses in Karlstad and Hammarö are expected to perform better in winter. SMHI is warning of heavy snowfall over Värmland, and work on the new A9 regiment has begun in Kristinehamn. In addition, Region Värmland has awarded this year’s Fröding Scholarship.

Karlstad’s electric buses are ready for winter

Last winter, several electric buses in Karlstad and Hammarö experienced problems, including software issues, problems with spare parts, and a traffic plan that meant the buses could not finish charging in time. Ahead of this winter, the bus company Nobina, which operates the city service, says the problems have been addressed. “We have done everything we can, and we are now operating on a completely different level compared with last winter,” says Nobina’s chief executive.

Today, 15 electric buses operate routes in the Karlstad area and Hammarö. Since the S-line was launched in Karlstad in 2018, Värmland has had electric buses, and in summer 2025 the latest generation of electric buses entered service when Nobina took over the contract for the city traffic. Passengers are urged to stay informed through the Värmlandstrafik app to see when their particular bus is due. SVT Nyheter Värmland

Yellow snow warning for Värmland on Thursday and Friday

SMHI, the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, is warning of heavy snowfall over Värmland. The yellow warning applies from Thursday morning until Friday morning, and the snowfall may bring between 5 and 15 centimeters of snow, locally up to 20 centimeters. In the southern parts, it is uncertain whether it will fall as snow or rain.

According to SMHI, the snowy weather may lead to slippery conditions, poor visibility and blowing snow, as well as problems getting around in traffic due to snow on roads, traffic accidents or stationary vehicles. SVT Nyheter Värmland

Groundbreaking ceremony for regiment A9 in Kristinehamn

The groundbreaking marked the start of work to implement the government’s defence decision from 2020 to build 3 new regiments in Sweden, one of them in Kristinehamn. The regiment is expected to be completed by 2030 and is designed to accommodate around 300 conscripts and 350 Armed Forces employees. Combat units for the Army will also be produced there.

– It means an enormous amount to have the Armed Forces back on Kristinehamn’s territory. It means jobs, says the chair of the municipal executive board in Kristinehamn Municipality. A municipality is the local authority responsible for areas such as schools, eldercare and urban planning. The Director-General of Fortifikationsverket, the government agency that builds and manages defence properties, says this is historic and a milestone in further strengthening Sweden’s defence capability. SVT Nyheter Värmland

BIK took a third straight win against Mora

BIK's away match against Mora ended 4–1, giving the team a third straight victory after the break. BIK forward Travis Treloar took a puck straight in the face, a cut to the lip and knocked-out teeth before the match, but still came forward as one of the match heroes. – There were a few cuts, and I had some teeth put back in again, says the forward to KT-Kuriren.

A BIK defenseman praised his teammate: – There he is behind the goal, our own little Gretzky. Värmlands Folkblad Värmlands Folkblad

Sundsbron in Sunne opens on 25 November

The roadway on the newly renovated Sundsbron in Sunne will be narrower than before, due to requirements for wider pedestrian and cycle paths. – It will also feel narrower because of the railings, says a project manager at Trafikverket, the state authority responsible for roads and railways.

The opening was originally planned for 20 November but has been postponed by a few days, until 25 November. The reason is that laying the waterproofing layer and asphalt had to be postponed due to cold, but the work will soon be completed. NWT

Fröding Scholarship Awarded by Region Värmland

Region Värmland, the regional authority responsible for, among other things, healthcare and culture, awards the Fröding Scholarship annually to one or more people who work with art, culture or popular education. The scholarship recipients receive 100,000 kronor. This year’s recipients are storytellers, authors and actors, and a co-founder of Västanå teater, who are being recognized for their tireless commitment to Värmland’s storytelling art. – I’m happy to have received it, in both my own name and Gustaf Fröding’s, says the recipient.

At the same ceremony, Region Värmland’s Popular Movement Scholarship was awarded to Konstnärernas Kollektivverkstad Värmland. The Popular Movement Scholarship was established by the County Council of Värmland in 1977. SVT Nyheter Värmland

In brief

• Inactive students cost the state 1.3 billion in 2024, according to Riksrevisionen, the government agency that scrutinises the state; 800 million went to distance education, and at Karlstad University, the proportion of inactive students on stand-alone distance courses was 36 percent in the spring semester of 2026, compared with 4 percent on campus programmes. SVT Nyheter Värmland
• VMA, an important message to the public, is being tested nationwide on 7 December – the phone rings with a sharp sound at maximum volume for 10 seconds, vibrates and displays a text message. NWT
• Karlstad municipality is to build a new swimming and sports hall in Vålberg, and Karlstad residents can submit name suggestions for the hall. NWT
• The new dance floor at Sundstatjärn in Karlstad will open in the spring, but the building is already complete. NWT
• A 151-square-metre house at Tjustersby 156 in Sunne has been sold for 575,000 kronor. Värmlands Folkblad
• A 42-year-old is starting a new education company in Arvika. Värmlands Folkblad
• The number of electric scooter accidents in Värmland increased by 68 percent from 2024 to 2025, according to figures from Transportstyrelsen compiled on behalf of Dina försäkringar. SVT Nyheter Värmland