The Dutch government is prepared to take greater risks with the electricity grid to prevent a total freeze on new connections in the central Netherlands. By utilising a portion of the network’s safety reserves, the cabinet hopes to keep the lights on for new projects, according to a letter sent to Parliament by State Secretary for Energy, Jo-Annes de Bat.
The measure involves putting existing cables under heavier loads and allowing grid operators to tap into overcapacity usually reserved for emergencies. While this creates more room for connections, the State Secretary acknowledged that it significantly increases the risk of power cuts and system failures.
High-voltage operator TenneT must now assess whether these interventions are sufficient to stave off a connection stop. Last month, TenneT warned that the Flevopolder, Utrecht, and Gelderland regions were nearing a breaking point. De Bat described the situation in these three areas as “exceptional” compared to the general congestion seen across the rest of the country.
The Dutch grid is currently overstretched in many areas, meaning new homes and businesses often face long waits for a connection. To prevent cables from melting or failing during peak usage, operators traditionally maintain a large buffer of spare capacity. Using this buffer to accommodate more users is a gamble that could lead to more frequent blackouts for everyone.
The government maintains that a total shutdown on new connections must be avoided “at all costs.” De Bat stated there are “no taboos” when it comes to solving the bottlenecks in the central regions, even if the solutions are “painful and expensive.” A dedicated crisis task force, involving provincial authorities, ministries, and grid operators, has been charged with managing the emergency.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
