The electricity grid is starting to fill up in more and more places in North Holland. In the municipality of Schagen, the villages Dirkshorn and Waarland have a maximum capacity range. In the municipality of Dijk en Waard it concerns Oudkarspel, De Noord, Verlaat and Zuid-Scharwoude.
The power grid can no longer handle it and there is a laundry list of reasons for this, such as the fast-growing economy, the digitization of society, building houses at record speed and making the energy supply more sustainable. It mainly poses problems for large consumers of electricity – such as supermarkets, schools, offices and factories – who want more electricity or want to settle here.
“New companies that want to establish themselves in that region are put on a waiting list,” says Franscé Verdeezeldonk of grid operator Liander. The full power grid has no consequences for consumers. And that also applies to new-build homes. “Planned housing can also continue as usual,” explains Verdeuzeldonk.
Six years
Liander says it is working hard to increase capacity, but this will take a long time. About six years in total. In those years, the electricity stations De Weel in Alkmaar and Heerhugowaard Noord will be expanded. From 2028, Liander expects that schools, offices and factories will be able to reconnect to the power grid. “It’s very annoying, but we just have to get through it,” said Franscé.
Solar panels
Households that want to become more sustainable in the problem regions and want to purchase solar panels can continue to do so. Here too it only applies that companies suffer the most from the full power grid. “Large consumers will first have to submit an application, because that involves large numbers,” explains Franscé, “And then it will now turn out that that is no longer possible for them.”