Living environment

As administrator of the national high‑voltage grid, TenneT TSO B.V. operates more than 3,000 km of lines, both above and below ground, and a transmission grid that includes some 60 substations on several thousands of hectares of land. TenneT is aware of its responsibility for the environment and for its employees and non‑company personnel who work at the substations. We act in a way appropriate to our responsibility.

Environment

TenneT maintains close contacts with municipalities, provincial authorities and environmental protection agencies with a view to treating the environment responsibly. By taking targeted measures, we minimise our impact on the surroundings. We carefully identify any environmental effects and discuss them with stakeholders. TenneT obviously complies with all the applicable laws and regulations.

Managing plant and animal life is another part of our environmental policy. We consult intensively with organisations involved in the management of plant and animal life, such as Wageningen University, the Wadden Sea Society and Suvon. The nest boxes for peregrine falcons (an endangered species in the Netherlands) placed in the high-voltage pylons of the Diemen-Ens line in 2006 are a good example of how technology and the environment can go hand in hand.

Noise management

Transformers, ventilators and switches produce noise. To avoid causing nuisance to existing and future residents of areas near our substations, we take far‑reaching noise abatement measures in some cases, including the erection of noise screens. When purchasing new transformers we explicitly examine their noise level. We believe it is better to get it right the first time than to take half‑measures.

Trees and plants

Electricity substations cannot always be integrated neatly into their surroundings and sometimes have a less than positive effect on the landscape. TenneT therefore tries to keep substations out of sight by placing trees and plants around them. When doing so we make the fullest possible allowance for the pre‑existing natural environment.