In large parts of the Netherlands, the electricity network is so overloaded that no new companies can be connected in the coming years, outgoing energy minister Rob Jetten reported. According to Netbeheer Nederland, 6,600 companies are currently in the queue. Because of the limited capacity of the power grid, they have to postpone their establishment or expansion. Especially in Gelderland the problems are serious, with already 1500 companies on the waiting list.
"How long these companies have to wait depends very much on their location," said Maarten Otto, the president of Netbeheer Nederland. The economic damage of the overloaded power grid is difficult to estimate. Jetten, who on Wednesday announced measures to reduce "congestion" on the power grid, points out that there are big differences between companies. Some want to establish or quickly make themselves sustainable, while other companies "want to make major investments in their production facilities in 2029 and are already in the queue."
Network shortages affect everyone, Otto acknowledges. Not only companies will experience the consequences, but also households in Gelderland, Flevoland and Utrecht may experience problems within a few years. The solution lies in smarter use of the electricity grid, but especially in its expansion and reinforcement. This is already being worked on by Netbeheer Nederland and will only become more visible in the coming years. A total of 100,000 kilometers of electricity cables must be laid by 2050, which is equivalent to two and a half times the circumference of the earth, Otto emphasizes.
This means that at least one in three streets must be broken up and 50,000 new power houses built. Above ground, 80 square kilometers of infrastructure is needed, equivalent to the area of the city of The Hague.
