The government wants to speed up power grid expansions by cutting down on red tape and simplifying planning rules. State Secretary Jo-Annes de Bat says this is urgently needed to fix grid congestion, which is already stopping new houses and businesses in some areas from getting hooked up to the electricity network.
To save time, the government is updating existing rules instead of passing new laws. This will cut down on lengthy court battles with local residents who object to new projects like substations. Instead of going through three separate rounds of appeals, objections will go straight to the highest court once.
Several mandatory permits will also be scrapped, which could shave up to 18 months off construction times. The government has also asked the EU to exempt grid projects from strict environmental permits for nitrogen, arguing that a stronger grid helps reduce pollution in the long run.
However, red tape is not the only problem. While past emergency measures helped struggling builders after the 2008 crash, today’s construction companies are instead facing severe shortages of workers and raw materials.
To create instant space on the network, the government is asking businesses to shift heavy power use away from peak hours. Operators may also be allowed to run the grid closer to its limit by tapping into emergency backup capacity.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
