Gjerpen Håndball faces bankruptcy

Telemark and Vestfold news from the past 48 hours: Gjerpen Håndball, the historic club from Skien, announced on Thursday evening that it must prepare for bankruptcy. In Telemark, the industry is warning about electricity prices. In Vestfold, Tønsbergs Blad reports a proposal for substantial increases in municipal fees and several local projects.

Sport: Vestfold / Telemark news dominated by Gjerpen Håndball’s bankruptcy

In Skien, Telemark, the handball club Gjerpen Håndball announced on Thursday 5 November that it must prepare for bankruptcy proceedings. The Eliteserie club, active for 80 years, says it was short three million kroner to ensure the continuation of its operations (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

The board was due to meet on Wednesday evening for a final assessment. General manager Ole Grønli told NRK that the meeting was to continue the following day. On Thursday evening, a statement clarified: “Gjerpen har ikke nådd målet – må forberede oppbud”. The club adds that it has “turned every stone” and worked intensively to find a solution, while acknowledging that it no longer has the economic foundation needed to continue. The required documents must be submitted to the bankruptcy court next week (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

Economy: Telemark's industry faces electricity prices

In Telemark, industrial company INEOS Inovyn is facing rising electricity prices. Jonas Ludvigsen, 19, is about to complete his apprenticeship after studying chemical processes and hopes for a permanent job. But changing energy prices make the outlook uncertain, according to industry representatives and unions in the country's most expensive electricity region (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

Rodney Ishak, general manager of INEOS Inovyn for the Nordic countries, explains: « We often reduce our production in Norway, while we run at full capacity at the sister plant in Stenungsund in Sweden. » The Swedish plants he oversees had electricity costs 20 % lower than the Norwegian plants last year. In France and the United States, competitors have even lower costs. No new projects are planned (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

Vestfold: municipal fees, real estate and new businesses

In Vestfold, Tønsbergs Blad will publish an article on Friday 6 November about a proposal for a sharp increase in municipal fees. The newspaper also reports that a real estate developer wants to transform an old building in the city centre and create 13 new apartments (Tønsbergs Blad).

The same source introduces Daniel (33 years old) and Mats (35 years old), two brothers who are the originators of a new business in Tønsberg. They describe a profession they find “fun and rewarding” and want to develop. Tønsbergs Blad also mentions “bomsnikere” who thought they had found a loophole, but who now face a problem (Tønsbergs Blad).

Transparency: poorly controlled subsidies in Telemark

In Telemark, Telemarksavisa highlights an investigation showing that millions of kroner in aid are paid out without monitoring how they are used. The newspaper reports that elected representatives receive hundreds of thousands of kroner directly. These details are published in the Friday 6 November edition (Telemarksavisa).

These Vestfold / Telemark news stories illustrate a contrasting regional day in the counties of Vestfold and Telemark: a historic sports club in difficulty, industrialists concerned about energy costs, and municipalities adjusting their finances or plans. The news briefs from these 48 hours are collected below.

📌 Local briefs

In Larvik, in Vestfold, a car left the road on Thursday morning on the E18 near Bommestad. A family from Agder with two adults and six school-aged children was inside; one child died at the scene, another was transported to Ullevål, and the rest of the family to Vestfold hospital. Road conditions were slippery (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

In Tønsberg, in Vestfold, a 70-year-old man who was run over at the Eik pedestrian crossing “last Thursday” has died. The driver, a 40-year-old man, is suspected of failing to comply with the duty of care; police are not mentioning drunk driving (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

In Notodden, in Telemark, a man was transported by helicopter after a tree fell on him during logging. He was conscious and alerted emergency services himself; a colleague freed him before responders arrived (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

In Vestfold, a 16-year-old boy is accused of preparing an attack plan from his bedroom against a kindergarten in Oslo, including images of potential targets and a plan to broadcast it live (NRK Vestfold / Telemark).

In Porsgrunn, in Telemark, a person was transported to hospital after an electric scooter accident (Telemarksavisa).

Sources: NRK Vestfold / Telemark, Tønsbergs Blad, Telemarksavisa, The Local Norway — Period: 05 November 2026 and 06 November 2026