News item | 24-03-2025 | 15:00
The approach to the full power grid is an important priority for the cabinet. The government is working together with the network operators, ACM and market parties on more than 100 measures to create more room on the grid as quickly as possible. Today the annual progress report is published. This also shows that, despite all the efforts, the waiting list with companies that want a new or heavier connection is still growing. That is why Minister Hermans of Climate and Green Growth is working on solutions to further accelerate the approach to the full power grid. These measures will be completed at the end of April.
New figures
The high -voltage network is weighted in around 250 places, of which 70 projects are now in the construction phase. These are huge construction projects for the ‘highway’ of the power grid. On the middle voltage network, the ‘provincial road’, the network operators have built almost 50 new stations in the last 2 years. That is a doubling of the 2 years before. More than new 2400 transformer houses have been added to the local network in the residential areas, compared to around 1500 in the previous year. Despite all the extensions, the demand for space grew faster than the network operators could expand the power grid and the waiting list of companies and institutions that want a (heavier) connection.
Build up
The expansion of the power grid is a huge task. Until 2050, around 50,000 transformer houses have to be added and more than 100,000 kilometers of electricity cables into the ground. The cabinet wants to speed up the expansion of the power grid.
- Minister Hermans has sent a change in the law to the Council of State to shorten the procedures for the expansion of the grid. With a tolerance obligation, procedures up to 1.5 years can be accelerated. In addition, the government wants to designate the extension of the net as ‘compelling social interest’, which can also save up to 1.5 years.
- The Cabinet is investigating the possibility of introducing dome permits with which several permits are issued to network operators at the same time. A flying brigade of experts will help provinces and the municipality to issue permits faster.
- Work is being done on a fixed approach and land price so that the network operators can purchase land faster to build the required energy infrastructure. The placement of transformer houses can be accelerated with a model agreement.
Better use the power grid
The power grid is not full 24 hours a day in most places. By better spreading the power consumption, the space on the power grid can be better used and new parties can be connected faster.
- Companies can conclude a new type of contract with the network operator where they use less or no electricity during peak times. For this, companies receive a discount on the net rates or do not have to wait for a connection. Since this year, all major consumers on the high -voltage network are financially encouraged to move their power consumption outside peak times.
- From 1 April, companies and institutions (large consumers) can apply for a subsidy by the full power grid to hire and/or make investments for a flexible contract. This way they can continue with their growth or sustainability plans.
- The network operators are working on a proposal that will also pay for small consumers such as households, schools and stores to move the power consumption outside peak times where possible. For example, by charging an electric car later in the evening. The introduction is expected to take a few years.
- Together with the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets and the network operators, the Ministry is investigating the possibilities to tax the power grid heavily in more places so that companies and institutions on the waiting list can be connected faster. The research also explicitly looks at the risks.