In parts of The Hague, companies that use a lot of electricity may not have a new connection to the power grid in the next ten years. According to grid operator Steden, the power plant has reached its maximum capacity for large-scale energy consumption.
It is also no longer possible to strengthen existing ties, Steden said. Parts of central The Hague, Duindorp and Scheveningen are connected to the power station.
Applicants for new principal communications will be placed on a waiting list. According to a Stedin spokesperson, it will take until 2033 before they are connected. The electricity network will then be expanded and structurally strengthened.
Residents and businesses that already have connections will not notice this measure. According to Steden’s spokesman, construction of new homes will also continue as usual.
Organizations that can no longer be contacted include companies that want to go electric and have five car charging stations. For example, connecting to a commercial building that has an elevator is no longer possible.
“This measure leaves space on the electricity grid for households and small entrepreneurs,” Steden says. “Heat pumps can still be installed in homes, people can switch to electric cooking, and small-scale consumption connections can be made to newly built individual homes.”
The demand for electricity increases by 60 percent
As in many other parts of the Netherlands, the electricity grid in The Hague is approaching maximum capacity due to increasing demand for electricity. Steden said demand in The Hague is expected to rise by about 60 percent until 2030. “This pushes electricity demand beyond the limits of current infrastructure.”
The solution to the problem of grid capacity shortage is to expand and enhance the existing electricity grid. Steden and the director of the national network TenneT have begun working on this. Work is expected to continue until mid-2033.
“This long lead time is partly due to the scarce availability of space in the city and the required permits. TenneT and Stedin are in good discussions about this with the municipality of The Hague,” says the spokesperson. The investments required for this are estimated at approximately 100 million euros.
Stedin wants to conduct research with large consumers to better use the network. By better coordinating when large customers consume electricity, peaks in the electricity grid can be prevented.