Electricity grid shortages have significant implications for Almere' s development and growth , the Flevoland municipality said in a response to a TenneT study published Wednesday. According to the grid operator, without additional measures, no new residential neighborhoods will be able to be built or homes made more sustainable in the Flevopolder as of 2026, because the power grid is full.
The Municipality of Almere considers this very bad news because it means that "new developments and growth in this region risk stagnation, including for Almere."
Currently, about 225,000 people live in Almere. The municipality, which bills itself as a "growth city," has ambitions to eventually accommodate about 350,000 residents. This growth is threatened by the overloaded power grid. "This threat is closer than many think," said Alderman Alexander Sprong. "We are approaching the point where there is no more grid capacity available and no more new projects can be realized in Almere, possibly already within two years. So we are facing an urgent problem."
The Almere City Council is calling on the central government to work with grid operators to develop a joint plan, called a delta plan, or come up with swift measures. "We need concrete proposals and solutions to address the current problems and especially the major problems expected from 2026 onwards," Sprong said.
Full
Earlier on Wednesday, outgoing Climate and Energy Minister Rob Jetten presented a series of plans to decongest the electricity grid, which he said is "largely full, probably full or nearly full" in almost all places. One of his proposals is for grid operators to make agreements with companies to use or produce less electricity at peak times in exchange for compensation.
Other municipalities have also responded to TenneT's study and Jetten's proposals. For example, the municipality of Dronten says that the Flevoland municipality's growth ambitions will be jeopardized. The exact impact is still being investigated.
The municipality of Haarlem considers this a "serious signal," but does not expect facilities in the North Holland capital to be at risk. The municipality of Huizen in the Gooi region also says that developments on the power grid have not yet had an immediate impact on households and businesses with a small power connection. Planned housing construction in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer is expected to go ahead, according to the board.
