Geertruidenberg wants network manager TenneT to pull the wallet to compensate for the nuisance of the planned converter station. The municipal administration believes that the company ‘should take its responsibility’. At the same time, there is criticism of the way in which the municipality itself deals with a previously awarded government grant of 11.7 million euros.
That bag of money from the government, intended to strengthen the quality of life in the vicinity of the Converterstation, has now assigned the municipality of Geertruidenberg to projects that have little to do with limiting noise nuisance or traffic. For example, the money is used for extra charging points for e-bikes, redesigning the historic market, new parks and a makeover of the football canteen.
And that is against the sore leg of the immediate residents of the future ‘energy factory’, as they call the Converterstation itself. “Of course it cannot be the case that the funds will soon go up on nice projects and that we as a local resident will stay behind in the misery,” says Martijn Kneepkens. “I am not happy with how the process is running now. As a immediate local, it gives us no certainty at all.”
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No money for measures nuisance yet
The list of the five most important measures to prevent possible nuisance is untouched on the office of alderman Mike Hofkens (Economy). This contains the insulation of homes, the shifting of the Amerweg and three nature projects. “It is our starting point that these five projects are not paid from the area investments of the government of 11.7 euros million. That money is intended to strengthen the quality of life in the municipality and not for compensation,” alderman Hofkens interprets the rule of the government.
That position leads to confusion, especially now that the municipality wants to ignore the bill for the compensation projects at Tennet. The network operator responds surprised: “A liveability spot from the government has been made available because it is a national project. We do not have to pay for choices that the municipality itself makes in her spending,” says a spokesperson. According to TenneT, the network operator meets the legal requirements, such as compensating for occupied space with agricultural land and a water buffer.
Local residents with empty hands?
It is great that the municipality makes an attempt to negotiate Tennet, according to Kneepkens. But there must be an ‘escape’, now that this gamble from the municipality is in danger of running out. “There must be certainty for the most important five projects,” says Kneepkens.
Now that the municipality does not have to count on Tennet, Alderman Hofkens has one more asset. One round follows from the government, with another 50 million euros being distributed over the West Brabant region. For the alderman the task of properly negotiating the A4 of his desk.
Because if this attempt also fails, Kneepkens and the other local residents of the converter station will soon be empty -handed, while the rest of the village with the charged bicycle is driving through green parks and over the refurbished Makt to celebrate the third half in the refurbished football canteen.
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The energy factory
The Converterstation, actually a large socket, where electricity is made useful that Windpark Nederwiek 3 will soon produce at sea. The electricity cable lands in Geertruidenberg and is converted there into a large inverter to 380 kV alternating current. This electricity can then enter the high -voltage network to be transported further.
The newly to be constructed wind farm Nederwiek 3 will soon deliver 2 Gigawatt (GW) to green electricity. This is comparable to the amount of electricity used annually by approximately two million Dutch households.
With the arrival of energy projects to West Brabant, Geertruidenberg has the biggest impact to process, but with 11.7 million euros relatively the smallest part of the total government grant of 50 million.