TenneT and Liander announce grid reliability package for Gelderland

Dutch grid operators TenneT and Liander and the province of Gelderland have announced a package of measures to boost reliable electricity supply in the Gelderland province as power demand from consumers and businesses rises, risking an overload of the power grid.

The measures range from grid-aware charging of EVs to new-build homes that consume less power and the choice of hybrid heat pumps in existing homes.

Last year, Liander and TenneT announced that without targeted measures, the electricity grid in the provinces of Gelderland, Utrecht and Flevopolder will become overloaded in the coming years.

In a bid to mitigate this, the operators’ package of measures includes:

Grid-efficient installations in existing buildings: hybrid heat pumps instead of electric ones when replacing installations in existing residential buildings.

Grid-conscious housing: new-build homes that consume less electricity, for example because they are heated not with electricity but with a collective heating network.

Grid-aware charging of electric vehicles: charging stations that do not charge during peak times on the grid.

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Marc de Zwaan, director of asset management at TenneT, commented in a release: “Our electricity grid in Gelderland, the Flevopolder and Utrecht has no provincial borders. As a result, overloads in one province also affect the other, and this also applies to the measures that should provide relief. Gelderland, Flevoland and Utrecht therefore have a joint task to solve the problem.”

Added Minke Breijer, regional manager of Gelderland at Liander: “In Gelderland, we are facing major challenges in our energy network with Utrecht and the Flevopolder. Scarcity on the grid will remain a challenge in the coming years. It is good to see that we are working intensively with all parties involved. This way, we can make the right choices for our customers in the coming years and work together on a resilient and future-proof Gelderland.”

To accommodate all the demand for electricity transport capacity, a major renovation is needed. The grid operators – together with the province, municipalities and regions – have been working on expanding and strengthening the electricity grid.

However, that takes time. They state that the necessary adjustments are scheduled for 2029 at the earliest. Extra space is needed on the grid and smart solutions are sought to use the grid more efficiently.