The transformer house that has to supply the Aldi and the houses in North Dwingeloo with electricity will still be located in the residential area on De Maten. The neighborhood is strongly against the plans, but the municipality of Westerveld stands firm.
“We have had many conversations with Enexis, the GGD,” the municipality explains. “We have weighed and weighed and still stick to location A.”
The neighborhood does not like the arrival of the house on De Maten because of the possible dangers that the radiation from the house can entail. For example, the Health Council advised to prevent new situations in which children are exposed for a long time to magnetic fields generated by overhead high-voltage lines that are stronger than 0.4 microtesla on average over the year.
The advice focuses in particular on the health risks of high-voltage pylons, but “it could possibly also apply to ‘underground electricity cables and other sources of long-term exposure to magnetic fields from the electricity network such as transformer substations and substations’.” A causal relationship between diseases and magnetic fields has never been proven.
According to the municipality, the location of the transformer house meets the requirements that currently apply. She refers to the government report from 2022. In this way, the radiation remains below the standard of 0.4 microtesla and does not exceed the distance to habitation. “The minimum distance required is between 2 and 4 meters. The nearest house is 4.5 meters away.”
The cottage is directly adjacent to a garden of a local resident. According to the municipality, the distance standard is calculated from the facade of the house.
The neighborhood wants Enexis to opt for plan B, a location next to the new Aldi, further away from the neighbourhood. But according to the municipality and Enexis, that location costs more money because of the existing facilities and the residential area is then not helped with their electricity demand. In that case, another box would have to be placed in the residential area.
The neighborhood finds it incomprehensible that the economic interests of Enexis outweigh the health of the residents. But the council has not deviated from its position. “We have also received letters from residents of Jaarsmasingel, who live close to location B. If we choose that place, we will receive objections there.”